


Mama Bear Drabbles

by bowsofwrath, Daisy_PoisonPen, ElisaPhoenix, funkylittlebidiot, ZoxiQ



Series: Marvel Drabbles [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Big Brother Harley Keener, Domestic Avengers, Drabble Collection, Gen, Harley Keener & Peter Parker are Siblings, Harley Keener Needs a Hug, M/M, Mama Bear Stephen Strange, Other, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange Parenting Peter Parker | Supremefamily | Strange Family, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:54:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 52
Words: 34,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24501151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bowsofwrath/pseuds/bowsofwrath, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daisy_PoisonPen/pseuds/Daisy_PoisonPen, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElisaPhoenix/pseuds/ElisaPhoenix, https://archiveofourown.org/users/funkylittlebidiot/pseuds/funkylittlebidiot, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZoxiQ/pseuds/ZoxiQ
Summary: Little hidden gems in the Mama Bear world.This is a collection of drabbles written for my Mama Bear AU that is either written by me or other people (you, the fans!). Each prompt will be noted at the beginning and the author who wrote it!All posted with permission!
Relationships: Cassie Lang/Peter Parker, Harley Keener/Billy Kaplan, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Series: Marvel Drabbles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1795075
Comments: 113
Kudos: 179





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Drabble prompt: “Stop being a fucking dick.”
> 
> By LadyNikolea

Peter was working on homework when Harley comes home in a foul mood. He literally barges into the kitchen and slams open the fridge door and grabs some ice cream and sprinkles something on top of it. he then sits at the other end of the table. Poor Peter can feel his throat closing up and asks Harley what he's having. 

"Vanilla bean ice cream! Whats it to you?!"

"Stop being a fucking dick. I am asking because my throat is closing up and the only..." he takes a giant gulp as his voice starts going hoarse. "...thing to change was you coming home!"

Harley takes a second to compose himself when he decides to move down and sniff his ice cream, the sprinkles he put on the ice cream smell sharp.  
"DAMMIT!! ITS ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER!"  
He tosses the ice cream in the garbage and says "There were peppermint sprinkles in the batch of sprinkles. go take a shower while i clear out the room."

Peter immediately runs out the room and Harley is furiously disinfecting everything and demands that Friday tell whoever bought the sprinkles (It was Stephen, by Dia's request) that there was Peppermint in the batch and to be more careful next time. Stephen automatically portals home and asks where Peter is. 

"In the shower. I'm already decontaminating."

The abruptness stops Stephen short and his mama bear senses tingle, he finishes everything off with magic and pulls Harley aside into the living room. "Whats going on cub?"

Harley has a break down, its the anniversary of his mom and sister's death and everything seemed to be going wrong. He failed a pop quiz, was bullied non stop, made something explode in Chemistry, missed the train, and then to top it all off he almost poisoned Peter. He began crying on Stephen's shoulder, and Peter who had heard everything from the stairs came down to cuddle his brother.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “God, I love your face.”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

“God, I love your face.”

Stephen grinned as he burrowed deeper against Tony’s chest, pressing a kiss to his husband’s collarbone. Tony was watching him with soft eyes, something not necessarily rare, but it was definitely more common for them to be mirthful or mischievous. The affection between them expressed through witty remarks and quirky banter. Stephen loved that about them, but he couldn’t deny the warmth of just being soft and genuine every once in a while. 

“You know who’s face I love...?” Stephen started, smirking up at Tony.   
Tony only rolled his eyes, pinching Stephen’s shoulder lightly as he sighed. “Valerie’s.”   
“Yeah,” Stephen hummed in agreement, not at all bothered that Tony had guessed first try as he glanced towards her crib. Before adding as an afterthought; “And my other cubs of course.”  
“Of course,” Tony smirked, tone playful and resigned.   
Stephen finally took pity on him, grinning as he turned back to face his husband. “And yours. I love yours very much.”  
“Sap.” Was Tony’s response, though Stephen knew not to take it to heart as he smiled and reached up to press his lips against the engineer’s.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “I can’t sleep.”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

_Technically_ there was a rule against being in the lab past midnight. At least when Tony wasn't around. Harley tended to use rules as loose guidelines, and seeing as the rule was stupid either way, he didn't pay it any mind. So yeah, it was two am and he was just leaving the lab despite 'having gone to bed' three hours ago. It wasn't his fault he couldn't sleep tonight - he'd tried. He just really wanted to finish his last project, and it wasn't like he had school the next day anyway.   
It was when he came back to the family floor, however, that he noticed something off; the TV in the living room was on. At first he thought it was Peter, but he knew that he would just watch television in his room if he couldn't sleep.

"Dia?" He stepped closer, noticing his little sister's head poking out from a blanket on the couch.  
"Yea?"  
"Why are you up?"  
"I can't sleep."   
"Why not?" Harley asked, frowning as he glanced towards the television. FRIDAY had put on some cartoons he knew Dia liked, but that didn't take away that Dia still looked obviously tired.  
"It's boring."  
"No it's not! it's good for you!"  
"Than why are you awake?"   
Harley sighed. Smartass. "Because I'm grown and I need less sleep." 

It was probably due to her exhaustion that she didn't respond with some sassy remark, merely shrugged and turned back to the TV. He was tired too, so he merely let it go and indicated his head towards the kitchen. 

"You want some ice cream? I know where Mom stashes the good flavors."  
Dia nodded excitedly, throwing the blankets off her as she stood up from the couch and ran over towards him. "Up!"  
Harley rolled his eyes but obeyed, picking her up and placing her on his hip. She was getting too big, but for now he didn't quite mind. "You know if you want to use me as your slave you're going to have to be nicer to me."  
"I am nice!"

Harley scoffed fondly but placed a tired kiss against her temple as he took her to the kitchen for the promised ice cream.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “Please get me away from him. He hasn’t left me alone all night and I am this close to committing a murder.”
> 
> By: LadyNikolea

It was a long night. Peter had gone out on patrol and it had started out as a quiet night so he actually had invited his brother to come join him. Harley was normally good at staying out of the way and keeping out of trouble so sometimes they liked hanging out on rooftops until peter had to go subdue the random baddie that came along. The night however didn't stay quiet for long, Green Goblin decided to show up and ended up hitting Harley with a gas. The gas, thankfully not fatal, however made him unable to move but his speech faculties worked fine. Another effect of the gas was that inhibitions were lowered, so things Harley normally would not voice, ended up getting revealed that night. As Peter had to drag along his immobile brother like a clinging koala, he would get the nuggets of inspiration from Harley's brain. 

"You're so strong Petey, it makes me jealous."  
"I wish I had powers like Dia, I would never get pimples again."  
"Ugh, I love the way he smells, I love to hug him and be next to him....ugh does he even like me back?" 

After an hour Peter was so frustrated he placed his brother down and went all out on Goblin and decided to head home for the night after leaving him webbed up for the cops to find. The moment they swung into the penthouse and Stephen got a look at his sons, he asked what happened. 

Harley not only explained everything at a mile a minute but he very thoroughly expressed every thought he had for the past hour and a half and by the end of it, Peter was looking ready to throttle him. 

“Please get me away from him. He hasn’t left me alone all night and I am this close to committing a murder.”  
Tony finally chimed in, "Well Underoos, I don't think you had a choice. Good job on Goblin, but next time send Harley right home."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “Man, there’s so many ways to kill people with a fish.”
> 
> By: ZoxiQ

Clint, Natasha, and Bucky sat around the firepit at the lakehouse, exchanging old mission stories from their assassin days. They had all enjoyed the cookout earlier and now just wanted to relax. Loki was passing by, fully ready to retire to his bed when he heard the most peculiar statement. 

"Man, there's so many ways to kill people with a fish." Clint humorously stated, which caused Loki to take a silent seat with the group. 

"I mean," Bucky chimed in, "you're not wrong. It was... 1980 and I had to kill this guy that pissed off HYDRA in Miami. This guy was some big wig in government but he was so corrupt, I didn't mind killing him. Well I lay out all of his men and the guy just starts running... so logically I took his giant swordfish he had mounted off the wall and chucked it at him." 

Natasha chuckled, reclining back in her chair as she crossed her legs, the fire illuminating her face and the devious smirk she had.

Natasha smirked. "One guy with one fish? Try 30 guys with one fish."

"What?! How?!" Bucky exclaimed, leaning closer to the Russian assassin.

"It was a couple missions before I ran into Clint." Natasha told Bucky. "I was assigned the task of taking out an entire sect of the Russian mob operating in Tokyo. My disguise was to be a waitress at their favorite sushi joint and kill them as discretely as possible. Let's just say... one puffer fish and two trays of sushi later, they dropped like flies."

Bucky's eyes went wide at hearing that, leaning back in his chair. Clint just laughed at the story. 

"That is one of my favorites." Clint laughed. 

"Remind me to never take sushi from you Nat..." Bucky said, semi-sarcastically. 

"Those are quite humorous stories... but I've got one that could top even that." Loki finally spoke up, causing the three assassins to actually jump . 

"How long have you been there?!" Clint clutched at his chest over his heart. 

Loki shrugged. "Since your statement of how many ways there are to kill people with fish... now while those are impressive, I must say... defeating an entire army with but a single fish."

"Bullshit!" Bucky frowned. "Not possible... come on Loki... these are true stories were telling."

"Just because I'm the god of lies doesn't make me incapable of speaking the truth... or does everyone forget I'm also the god of stories as well?" The god mused. 

"Fine.. how'd you do it?" Natasha finally asked.  
Loki's lips curved into his mischievous smirk. Oh this was going to be fun. He took a deep breath before beginning his story. 

"It was many moons ago that I was charged with taking out a small elven army set on seeking Odin's demise." Loki spoke in a soft voice. "I, being the same adept sorcerer I am today, snuck into their ranks disguised as a high ranking officer. From there I sowed the story of almost immediate victory and that the troops should rest and feast before such a glorious victory. Thankfully, my silver tongue didn't fail me. The general stopped and camped near a river that was rumored to have a fish that could swallow armys with a single gulp. However, that was an Asgardian legend that the elves had no knowledge of... so in the dead of night, I snuck to the river and managed to spy a small minnow in the shallows. With the help of my magic, that minnow grew to the size of... what do you humans call it? A whale? Yes, that's it. It grew to the size of a whale and I every so kindly pointed the slumbering army out to it... the next morning, there was no camp, no army, and one very full minnow that I had returned to normal size."

Loki glanced up and smirked at the look of horror on the three adults faces. The three stood up and quickly said their goodnight to the trickster before shuffling off. Thor sat next to his brother, having heard the whole story. 

"Why must you tease my friends with your false story brother?" Thor sighed softly. 

Loki just grinned as he stood up, brushing off his pants. 

"They do not need to know that that story is made up Thor." Loki chuckled softly. "Perhaps now they'll think twice before throwing me in that blasted lake."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: "Have any of you been listening to me or have I been talking to the wall for the last five minutes?"
> 
> By: Musical_Boxes  
> 

Stephen sighed, "Have any of you been listening to me or have I been talking to the wall for the past five minutes?"

The blank looks from Harley and Peter were very reassuring. Great.

"FRIDAY, where's Cass?"

"Playing with the twins on the Lang-Quill floor. Shall I page her?"

"Yes, please. Tell her I need someone responsible to look after the cubs while Tony and I are out. Oh, and she's more than welcome to bring Hailey and Hunter up to play."

"Very well, Doctor."

He watched Val and Dia play for a few more minutes before traipsing up the stairs to find his husband.

"Tony?"

"In here, Duchess."

Stephen slipped into the master bedroom, catching Tony as he finished straightening his tie.

"So, did they actually listen, or is Cass in charge?" Tony asked, only half-serious. Stephen laughed.

"Surely you can make a somewhat educated guess."

"It wouldn't even be a guess at this point. Alright, ready for a night on the town?"

Stephen only grins. Together, they headed back downstairs to say goodbye to Cassie and the cubs before they leave.

Cassie looked up from where she sat with the twins and Val, coloring. "Have fun on your date, you two!" She said, winking mischievously, eliciting embarrassed groans from Peter and Harley.

"Of course, you listen to Cassie, but not me," Stephen snarked, rolling his eyes."

"Aw, Mom, we do listen to you!"

"Yeah, we listen all the time! Always!"

He only shook his head as he took Tony's hand and they headed for the elevator.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “Can you tidy your toys away please? Preferably before I break my neck tripping over a stuffed turtle.”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

Thing was that he was waiting on results from his latest project, and he was excited about it, so sue him. Of course his brilliant superhero-reflexes kept him from landing fully on his face, his good arm catching most of his weight. His scarred arm still throbbed unhappily, but it would fade.

Grunting, he glanced behind him to find the culprit that had tripped him up, sighing when he noticed the leftovers of one of Dia’s tea parties. He yelled for his daughter as he got up, dusting off his pants and tucking his tablet safely under his arm. 

“Yes, Daddy?” She peaked her head out of the kitchen, face covered in flour.  
“Can you tidy your toys away, please? Preferably before I break my neck tripping over a stuffed turtle.”   
“But we’re baking,” Dia pouted, but Tony didn’t let it faze him.   
“Now, little lady,” he added, giving her a stern look, “and wash your hands first.”  
Dia grumbled but complied, disappearing back into the kitchen to do as told.  
"I thought I told you not to break anything while I was away." 

Tony turned with a grin at the sound of his husband's voice, immediately leaning in for a welcome back kiss. he hadn't been gone that long, only spent one night away, but nevertheless it remained a relief to see him again. 

"And I thought I'd told you I wasn't able to promise   
anything."  
Stephen hummed, rolling his eyes slowly before pressing another kiss to Tony's lips. "I better go find the baby before she-,"

Before he'd even finished his sentence there was a squeal and flash of toddler before Valerie was hanging on Stephen's robes, begging to be picked up. Tony smiled at the joy in his husband's eyes as he complied, their youngest curling into him easily. 

"Before she finds me, apparently. Hi, darling, how have you been?"

He left them to catch up as he went in search of Dia, wondering what was taking the little demon so long.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “Hi, I’ve been subtle at hinting that I want your attention all day and you haven’t noticed once and now I’m pissed.”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

He’d had enough. 

It had started by making subtle comments about the empty floor, which was usually all it really took. All of the children were out of the penthouse; the teens were at school, as was Dia, and he’d practically shoved Val into Nat’s arms that morning. Their entire floor was _empty_.

Yet no matter what he did, Tony seemed to be preoccupied with FRIDAY, with his tablet...he’d even decided to fix the washing machine that had been broken for _three weeks_. He’d tried eating truffles in front of him, and still _nothing_! He knew it would always work on the engineer, except that he’d somehow never managed to catch his eyes in the first place. A visual aphrodisiac only worked when it’s...well, _visual_.

Same happened when he’d decided to be a little less subtle, and had gotten into Tony’s closet, pulling on the Hugo Boss shirt that fell to his thighs _perfectly_. He’d even made a point to mention it to the engineer who still seemed fixated on his tablet, saying how he’d gotten through all his clothes, that he’d borrowed one of his shirts because he didn’t have any of his own.

Instead of looking up and appreciating how good Stephen looked, his only conclusion had been that it was ‘good that you mentioned it, babe, I really need to fix that.’

Which is why he’d ended up fixing the machine for two hours, which only made matters worse because Tony looked fucking _amazing_ in the tank top he wore for dirty work. 

Not the dirty work Stephen wanted him to put his attention to, however.

When the machine was finally running again, Tony had easily moved on to asking FRIDAY about the latest scans of his suit, barely sparing Stephen a glance.

Time was running out, and Stephen was getting more frustrated by the second. 

So when Tony had moved to his office on the family floor, deciding to finish the paperwork Pepper had sent him _three days ago_ and he’d avoided like the plague since then, Stephen had had enough.

Stephen burst into his office, not minding his hands as he slammed them down on the desk in front of him as he leaned down to pierce Tony’s gaze with his own. “I’ve been subtle at hinting that I want your attention all day and you haven’t noticed once and now I’m _pissed_.”

“Subtle?” Tony tilted his head in confusion as he stared Stephen down, smirk pulling at his lip, “Babe, you’ve been throwing yourself at me since this morning.” 

Stephen glared at him, cheeks starting to tint red at having been played without noticing, too caught up in his own pursuit to realise Tony had been messing with him all along. 

“So what are you going to do about it?” He growled at his husband, who finally rose out of his chair as they stared each other down. 

“Have you learned to be patient?”

Stephen continued glaring, now having to look up as he was still leaning onto the table, Tony standing over him as they kept eye contact. 

“I can’t have a reputation for being too easy now can I, _Tesoro_?” Tony smirked. Stephen’s knees were starting to get weak with desperation now, despite his urge to tell Tony to fuck off. To have Tony’s little game blow up in his face. “So have you?”

He watched as Tony stepped out from behind his desk, standing up straight so they were at the same height again, continuing to meet Tony’s gaze with a challenge. Yet when Tony crowded him against the desk, his scent overwhelming him and strengthening the arousal he’d been feeling _all fucking day_ , all Stephen could do was give in.

“Yes.” He breathed, watching as Tony’s eyes lit up in joyous satisfaction. 

His reply was casual, merely a statement. “Then I’m going to make you _scream_.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “STOP BEING SO CUTE, IT’S NOT FAIR!”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

“Come on, Harley, it’s your turn!” Peter whined for the sixth time. They’d been peacefully playing monopoly in Dia’s room, for once without yelling and screaming. The cause for that was because Harley was too distracted to care about winning or cheating, merely pacing around the room as he glanced at his phone. 

They’d set up at the table Dia usually used for her tea parties, which meant it wasn’t quite comfortable for anyone over five feet to sit at. On top of that Cassie was driving him more and more towards bankruptcy by the second.

Dia, not at all bothered by Harley’s drama, just shrugged before skipping his turn, throwing the die and completing the pink row which had been her sole purpose all game. 

“Why does he just lurk in our group chat?” Harley groaned before finally plopping back down in his chair, the tiny thing almost tilting over with the force of his movement. 

“He always reads our conversations but rarely interacts himself,” he continued, glaring at his phone. Peter caught Cassie’s eyes, his girlfriend shrugging at his annoyance. 

“He’s just shy.” Cassie tried to soothe Harley, but not without smirking at Peter as she made her move and bought one of the last streets available. "Why don't you just text him in a private chat if you want to talk to him so bad?"

Right as if on cue, Cassie’s phone pinged with a notification. She pulled it out of her pocket, smiling as she opened it. “See? He just sent me a snap. He’s probably just intimidated by the group chat.”

She showed her phone to Harley, the older teen frowning at the screen before mumbling under his breath, something only Peter caught with his enhanced hearing; ‘Stop being so cute. It’s not fair.’

“Wait…” Peter’s mind did a couple spins before smirking at Harley, “you’re crushing on William?”

“You’re only figuring that out now?!” Cassie scoffed from across the table, smile tugging at her mouth as she rolled her eyes at him. “Why am I surprised? I’m dating you.”

“I’m not crushing on him!”

“You so are,” Dia was the one to speak up, having Harley gape at her in betrayal, cheeks clearly flushed red.

“I am not! I’m just curious about the group chat thing. That’s all! What if he’s judging everything I say? What if he thinks I’m a dick?”

“Everyone thinks you’re a dick.”

Peter yelped as Harley kicked him under the table.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: "Those sad eyes won't work on me every time! I'll grow immune to it one day."
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

"Those sad eyes won't work on me every time!" Stephen mumbled under his breath as he sifted through the pile of dirty laundry in front of him, sorting colour from white - or used to be white, now a murky brown. Most of the fabric was still sticky and wet, sure the mud was still seeping through it and staining the tiles underneath. 

He'd known better than to let the kids play in the mud like five year olds, didn't even get the appeal anyway, so he didn't mind saying no. The teens had seemed excited however, for some unholy reason no doubt, and the idea had build in their underdeveloped brains until they couldn't let it go.

They'd asked again when the downpour had stopped, arguing that it had cleared up now. Stephen had easily stuck to his decision however. Yes, the raining had ceased and they'd been stuck inside all week due to the weather, but playing in the mud would still get them wet and it shouldn't be so hard to wait for an extra day for everything to dry. 

But when the actual five-year-old had turned to him, eyebrows furrowed in disappointment and a pout from here to Berlin... he had relented. What was the harm really? 

Sometimes their eyes were enough to make Stephen lose every drop of common sense he had. "I'll grow immune to it one day."

A chuckle made his head snap up as he glared at his husband, still mopping up the muddy footprints the kids had dragged in. "Honey, you say that with every child. I saw you give in to Thomas last week."

Stephen grumbled as he used a simple spell to toss the first load into the machine, needing to finish before Valerie would wake up from her nap. "He caught me in a moment of weakness..."

Tony snorted again and Stephen caught him rolling his eyes fondly, fighting against his own smile.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “You don’t know what you do to me, do you?”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

He should be used to this. _Was_ used to it. He knew the fight, the adrenaline, the enemies... It was all familiar by now. 

What he would probably never get used to however, was the way his stomach bottomed out every time he saw a member of his family take a heavy blow. More than once rubble had rained down on his little spider, though that was usually the least of Peter's concern. What would flatten most people into a pancake was merely a minor inconvenience to him, easily batted away like a baseball. As long as he saw it coming, it wouldn't hurt him. 

That didn't mean it didn't make Tony's heart stop every time he disappeared out of sight, only for it to start again once the rubble was easily tossed aside. 

Today Peter seemed to be perfectly fine. The kid was staying up high, swinging around the enemies easily and taking them out one by one. 

It had been the sorcerer who'd caused the pit of dread in his stomach. He had lost sight of him, unable to find his husband anywhere. He noticed all the Avengers, fighting on their own little corners, making their own way through the battle field and leaving the bodies of their enemies in their wake.

Stephen had been fighting a bunch of them, Tony had noticed a while ago. And he hadn't been worried. Stephen was a great fighter, quick with magic and body. But him having disappeared was spiking Tony's anxiety still. he liked to keep an eye of everyone, needed them within his sight, so as he craned his neck and checked VICTOR's location but couldn't find anything? Yeah he was freaking out.

"Stephen?!" he yelled into the comms, begging for a reply.

It was only Nat who answered, telling him she'd last seen him around the corner near the police station, so Tony flew over as quickly as he could. 

The place was empty, except a bunch of unconscious enemies, which helped ease him a little as it meant Stephen had at least won that particular battle.

He was still freaking out, his heart jumping in shock when Stephen flew out in front of him out of nowhere, smiling sheepishly at him. "I'm fine, Tony. I'm here."

Stephen knocked lightly on his faceplate, still smiling fondly at him as he opened up the suit and let his face become fully visible. The shaking hand coming up to cup his cheek helped ease his anxiety a little, and he sighed heavily, trying to steady his erratic heartbeat. "Sorry, honey, the tech got damaged."

Tony groaned as he glared at the sorcerer, still slightly worried about how fucked his heart rhythm was. He was a heart patient for god's sake, his family had zero respect for his condition. "You seriously don't know what you do to me, do you?"

Stephen's smile widened slightly, leaning up to press a reassuring kiss to his husband's lips. "I make you love me?"

Tony continued glaring at him, even as he itched to just kiss Stephen again. "These gray hairs? All your doing!"

"Come on, darling," Stephen purred, the pet names already tugging at Tony's heartstrings. "Harley deserves at least half the credit."

"Yes I do. And I worked hard for them." Tony rolled his eyes at the voice running through his helmet. He really shouldn't have given Harley his own com back at the tower.

"And who decided to start running an orphanage?"

"You love it," Stephen smirked, running a thumb over Tony's cheek; "you were ready to fight me over Peter."

"Peter's an angel. Harley I would have tossed to the wolves."

"Rude." Tony smirked at the dry response he'd gotten from the teen, watching Stephen roll his eyes. 

"Liar," Stephen smirked, before leaning up for one last kiss and heading back into battle the second after.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “Please don’t say that about yourself. Please don’t believe that. You’re so much more than that. You’re so...”
> 
> By: ZoxiQ

Today had been a particularly hard day for Harley, at least mentally. He was just drained and wanted to curl up under his blanket so he could disappear from the world and become one with his mattress. 

And so, as soon as he got home from school with everyone else, the older teen silently stalked up to his bedroom and shut his door. 

Stephen stopped midsip of his tea when he felt the mixed aura coming off of his oldest cub. The sorcerer stood from his spot at the kitchen table, walking over to the group that had decided to congregate at the coffee table in the living room. 

"We've tried to talk to him but he just shut us out too Mom." Peter softly said before Stephen could even ask.

The sorcerer sighed softly as he looked up the stairs to where Harley had gone. Stephen started to silently walk up the stairs, heading straight to Harley's room and knocks softly. When he doesn't get a response, the sorcerer opens the door slowly before fully entering the room. He walks over and sits on the edge of the bed as he reaches a shaking hand to rest on his son's arm. 

Harley doesn't even move. "It's ok Mom...I know I'm meant to be alone." 

"Harley Stark-Strange...you stop that right now. I know how you feel...and before you sass me, I do. Before I met your father, I thought that it was best that I stay alone because I messed up all my previous relationships." 

Stephen takes a deep breath before looking down at Harley, catching some other self-deprecating mutter. 

Stephen just furrows his brows. "Please don't say that about yourself. Please don't believe that. You're so much more than that. You're so Harley...and when the right time comes, that's all that's going to matter."

"But when!?" Harley pouted as he sat up from his reclined position. 

"That impatience you get from your father." Stephen smirks as he cards his trembling fingers through the teen's hair. "Have you even talked to him?"

"Well...no..."

Stephen rolled his eyes. "Then how is he supposed to know you like him Harley? Just be yourself and it'll come eventually. Now go do your homework with the others." 

"Ok Mom."

Harkey untucks himself from his blanket fortress, getting up and walking to the door. He turns back to look at his mom. 

"Thanks Mom...I really needed that."


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “So I had this really vivid dream...”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

"So I had this really vivid dream..." Peter started as he jumped over the back of the couch so he could fall down next to Harley. As usual, Harley was doing something on his phone, so he knew he wasn't interrupting anything. Yet, he barely spared Peter a glance, pretending to be fully engaged in what Peter could now see was some social media app or other. He didn't take it to heart, fully aware his brother was listening either way. "Where I got Cassie roses for her birthday, made her muffins and took her to a fancy restaurant. What do you think?"

"About your dream?" Harley huffed, continuing his scrolling.

"Yes and about making it real!" Peter groaned impatiently. 

Cassie from his dreams had really liked it, and it had been a while since they'd had some time for just the two of them. Since the twins had arrived they'd mainly done group activities, which Peter didn't mind, of course, but he missed having Cassie's full attention on him. 

"It's not even's Cassie's birthday. We're still months away."

"I can still do all of that just because!"

"You can't bake."

"I can try! And Cassie will appreciate the gesture either way!"

"It's super corny."

"Corny isn't bad! Things should be allowed to be corny at times!"

"Why are you asking me then," Harley finally turned to face him, seemingly annoyed, but Peter knew him too well by now to miss the amused glint behind his eyes. "if you clearly don't want my opinion?"

"I just needed to be hyped up and as you didn't give any relationship-ending reasons not to do it, I'm good." Peter grinned as Harley rolled his eyes.

He didn’t have to tell Harley that he was slightly buzzing under his skin, unable to fight the anxiety that maybe it really was a bad idea. What if he was overestimating her reaction? Or he really would end up looking like an idiot? Either way, talking with Harley had confirmed that no matter the reaction he really wanted to do it, no matter what Cassie’s reaction would be. "Plus I need your help with the baking."

Not that Harley was any better than he was, but at least he's had more experience from baking with his sister and if Peter ended up destroying the kitchen again he could at least put half the blame on Harley.

"No."

"Why not?" Peter whined, curling up his legs in front of him as he poked Harley's side.

"I have my own things I'd rather be doing!"

"Like what?" Peter scoffed, using his webshooter to pull Harley's phone out of his hands. "You're making buzzfeed quizzes! 'Which Avenger are you?', seriously?”

"Back off, spiderfreak!" Harley yelled at him, grabbing for his phone again, but Peter kept it out of his reach. "Just because I'm bored doesn't mean I have to help you!"

"Pleeeaaasseeee!" Peter tried again, jumping further away from him and watching as Harley groaned in annoyance.

"Why not ask Dia? She knows about baking!"

"Dia's already distracting Cassie!" Peter reasoned, changing tactics as he smirked at Harley. "Think about it this way; if I'm out with Cassie, you only have to fight Thomas for William's attention. And both William and Cassie love blueberry muffins so you can make your own batch for him!"

"Ugh, gross," Harley cringed, but Peter still noticed the blush on his cheeks. "I'm not joining your stupid romancing plots!"

"Come on! You know you want to spend time with William!"

Peter stayed silent as he watched Harley struggle with himself, before he finally groaned loudly and fell face first into the couch cushions. 

"Fine!" he yelled, words muffled by the fabric. "But I'm not cleaning up!"


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: "I want to warn you, I'll eat this in the most disgusting way possible and you will be an unfortunate witness to it."
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

It had been a difficult week to say the least. Even despite everything that had happened, all the new family Peter had gained, he still couldn't get over the anxiety every time the sorcerer left for longer than expected. 

All in all things weren't so different for Peter. He still went to school, still came home and spend time in the lab with Harley, held game nights with Cassie and the twins, etc. The biggest change in his routine had been Tony spending less time in the lab as he was tending to Valerie and Dia. 

He'd told them he'd be gone for six days at most, always keeping his explorations of other universes as short as possible because he didn't want to be away from Valerie too long. The toddler had spent her time apart from Mom with Tony, clinging to her other parent as Tony tried to follow Valerie and Stephen's routine as well as possible, to not disturb the baby's rhythm too much. 

Yet despite his routine being the same, Peter still felt much more tired and stressed than usual. He missed being able to drape himself around Stephen for comfort, and missed being able to know for certain that the sorcerer was alright.

It hadn't even technically been longer than six days yet. Sure, it had been over 144 hours, but the sorcerer probably hadn't meant it that literally. He'd left in the early afternoon NY time, which meant he could easily have meant six whole days including that evening. 

He knew it would be fine, had to believe it would be, but getting closer to the deadline was still freaking him out. 

Cassie had noticed his change in behaviour pretty quickly, had noticed him getting more twitchy and more easily lost in thought, had noticed how he had less appetite and kept checking the time. He wouldn't have expected anything less from his incredibly thoughtful girlfriend.

So when on Friday after lunch they officially crossed 144 hours, Peter had been locked in his room, trying to distract himself by channel surfing, Cassie had wormed her way in. 

She'd brought a cup of tea with her - the kind Stephen would usually make him - and had placed it on his bedside table. Peter had hardly acknowledged her, so close to an anxiety attack that even moving felt like a strain. 

But Cassie took it in stride, merely pulled his blanket up so she could crawl underneath it, cuddling up to him and stroking his hair. 

It actually helped, and Peter couldn't stop himself from pressing her closer until she giggled in his ear. "You're crushing me."

"Sorry," Peter replied, without any intention of letting go any time soon. He knew she didn't mean it for real, knew his super strength was controlled, and it was only confirmed when she just rested her head in the crook of his neck and pressed a kiss to his collarbone.   
\---

"Cubs-," the voice pulled Peter out of his nap, along with the trembling hand tracing his forehead. Peter opened his eyes at once, delighted to see the sorcerer standing over him. He already had Valerie on his arm, the toddler happily clinging to him as the doctor looked down at them. 

"You're back!" Peter exclaimed as he sat up at once. He noticed Cassie had also woken up already, but she was still lying down, watching with a small smile as he threw his arms around Stephen in greeting. 

Stephen chuckled in his ear, petting a hand through his hair before leaning back again and pulling Cassie into a hug as well. "I would have let you sleep but dinner's ready."

Peter could already feel his stomach roaring at the mention of food, and he jumped up, just waited long enough to pull Cassie out of bed, and she rolled her eyes fondly as he pulled her down towards the kitchen. 

Falling down at the table he noticed everyone else was already there, and Tony just put his mountain of pasta down in front of him. 

In the last few days, he'd eaten of course, but every meal he'd just mindlessly spooned his food into his mouth, not having taken the care to eat as much as he ought to with his spider metabolism. So he was absolutely starving now. Groaning in delight at the smell alone, he turned towards Cassie. "I want to warn you, I'll eat this in the most disgusting way possible and you will be unfortunate witness to it."

Cassie choked on her own mouthful of bolognese as she laughed, rolling her eyes fondly at him.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: "Stop licking me for gods sake!"
> 
> 1st by: funkylittlebidiot  
> 2nd by: ElisaPhoenix (Me)

**Drabble 1**

"Stop licking me for god's sake!" Stephen grumbled, trying to push the wolf away. The bed was already crowded enough without the wolf milling around, and he'd like to catch as much sleep as he could before the baby would wake up. 

On top of that, someone was already whining about the noise from across the bed. Stephen wasn't sure if it was Peter or Thomas, but it clearly wasn't coming from Harley who was lying at his feet or William who was lying on his side of the bed. 

Thinking of Harley - why wasn't the wolf lying with him as she usually did? 

When Athena licked his face again despite having been told explicitly to calm down, he frowned, immediately sitting up and looking around at his family. Athena always listened to him unless she made a judgement call, which meant she'd sensed something wrong.

Val was still sleeping peacefully in her crib - the bed so full he would actually have to worry about crushing the baby - and Tony was curled up with Dia, both looking perfectly fine as well. Peter had been lying at his back, in between him and Dia, which meant he would have noticed if something had been off with him. William in front of him was blinking tiredly up at him, clearly having awoken from Athena as well, but he closed his eyes again so Stephen registered him as okay.

He couldn't see Thomas' face from his position, but he was still lying on the bed which Stephen counted as a win, the other teen more often than not kicked off by Harley.

Which was strike two that Harley was the culprit for Athena’s worry.

Stephen shifted until he could lean over Harley, his oldest cub still in deep sleep as he didn't even stir at Stephen's movements. Pressing a hand against Harley's forehead, he confirmed his suspicions; the teen had a fever, shivering slightly as he curled deeper into his blanket and away from Stephen’s touch. 

Stephen realised William was sitting up as well now, frowning at him in concern as he had clearly noticed Stephen's worry. 

"It's fine," Stephen assured him in a low whisper, hoping not to wake anyone else. "I'm just going to put him in his own bed. Go back to sleep."

William seemed hesitant, but he lay back down obediently as Stephen used his magic to open a portal and lift Harley through. Athena jumped through the portal with him, and once Stephen had situated Harley in his bed and asked FRIDAY for his temperature (a slight rise to 101°, which considering he’d caught it so early would probably continue to rise), he leaned down to pet her on the head.

“Good job,” he whispered to his trusted wolf, telling himself to make sure she got an extra treat later.

============  
**Drabble 2**

Tony woke to an...odd sensation. It felt like his hair was being tugged lightly but his bed was empty of kids and Stephen. Val was sleeping in her crib, all other kids in their own rooms, and Stephen was doing some Sorcerer Supreme work. So what the hell was the tugging? Tony cracks an eye open to figure out what woke him up and looks behind him on his back to find Tibbs. Apparently Tony sleeping on his stomach was an open invitation for the feline to lay on his back and then groom the engineer's hair.

"How did you get out of Peter's room fuzzball?" Tibbs responds with a loud purr and more insistent licking and Tony reaches behind him to stop the cat. "Stop licking me for god's sake."

"Mrow."

Tony checks the time with bleary vision and scowls at the early morning hour.

"I'm not feeding you at six o'clock in the morning. That's Mom's routine--" Tony groans when Tibbs starts licking his face and Val sits up in her crib. "Alright alright! You win...but that's only because _topolina_ is awake and she's used to routine.

Tony gets up from the bed and scoops up the meowing feline with his bad arm before walking over to the crib and scooping up his youngest. The baby yawns as her father leaves the bedroom with them and lays her head on Tony's shoulder and rubs her eyes.

"Mama?"  
"No little mouse. Not yet."  
"...Willy?"  
"When he wakes up. How about breakfast and cartoons?" Tony kisses her forehead and then drops Tibbs on the counter when he reaches the kitchen.  
"Otay."  
"MROW!"  
"Give me a minute!" 

Once Valerie is placed in her high chair, and Tibbs is fed breakfast, Tony starts the coffee maker before starting breakfast. If he made pancakes, even the rest of the kids would wake up at this ungodly hour just for a hot breakfast. On days like these, they just watched cartoons and dozed for an hour or two after breakfast before they were actually ready for the day and Tony couldn't complain about the serenity of the mornings he had to stick to Valerie's routine. He figured this was why Stephen got up at this hour.

"'thena?"  
"She's with Mom. You'll have to play with Tibbs and William today." Tony says gently as he flips a pancake. When the elevator opened first instead of the bedroom door, he was surprised until Thomas suddenly appeared at the breakfast counter. "What are you doing up this early?"  
"Smelled pancakes."  
"That...shouldn't be possible. Where's Tinker Bell?"  
"He's coming...but slower." Thomas shrugs as Harley's door opens and Tony sighs.  
"Well so much for my quiet morning."


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: "Gummy bears are not a full meal."
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

The penthouse was empty for once as William stepped off the elevator. He’d expected it of course, knew Harley and Peter would stay down in the lab with Tony for the evening as they were finishing up a project, and Thomas had gone to the movies with friends. 

Even Cassie and Dia were gone, staying at the Lang’s floor for the night. 

It was still eerie to step out into the dark living room, to not hear any noise coming from the bedrooms or kitchen. 

William wasn’t really sure why he’d come up in the first place. Though Wanda and Vision had gone out on a date, he’d known this floor wouldn’t be any less lonely. All he could account to it was habit, he guessed, the penthouse floor usually the most lively and comfortable space in the tower.

He’d pondered going down to the lab, just to be around people, but he knew he would just fall into the background and he’d end up feeling even more alone. 

Instead he fell down on the couch and asked FRIDAY to play a movie. Being home alone was even stranger to William than actually having a home, the foster families he’d stayed with in the past always having had at least three fosters at any one time. It was weird to be actually able to do what he pleased, but now all William really wanted was to not be alone anymore.

He opened the packet of gummy bears he’d brought with him as the opening for the third Harry Potter movie started, and put his focus on the movie instead.

Harry and Hermione were just about to reach the hospital wing after their time mission when he felt a hand on his shoulder, and William flinched in shock before he noticed it was just Stephen standing over him. 

The sorcerer smiled down at him, before asking if he’d already eaten. He and Valerie had been at the sanctum until late, and William’s eyes drifted down to his packet of candy before nodding. 

Stephen rolled his eyes at him fondly, squeezing his shoulder with little force. “Gummy bears are not a full meal. I’d even say they’re not a meal at all.”

“No it’s fine- really,” William tried to convince him, but Stephen was already handing Val to him, the toddler starting babbling at him about her day at once. “You really don’t have to make anything just for me.”

“It’s not a problem,” Stephen replied, throwing him a pointed look that said it was the end of discussion, and William leaned back against the couch cushions as his cheeks heated up in embarrassment. 

He could have made himself something, used to having to help around the house, but he hadn’t wanted to take anything from the fridge. And now the sorcerer would have to spend his time and effort making him something. 

William tried to distract himself by playing with Valerie, and by the time Stephen called him into the kitchen William had to admit that the food looked amazing. 

“Thank you,” he told the sorcerer in sincerity, ducking his head to hide his blush as he dug in, having handed Valerie back to their mother.

“It’s no problem, really,” Stephen assured him once more, “I love feeding my kids.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “Very cute. Now give that back.”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

“Hold up!” Cassie yelled, jumping into a defensive stance in front of him, grin wide and inviting, despite the web shooter aimed at his face.

Peter wouldn’t have stopped if not for the fact that web fluid on the face is… quite unbearable.. and he knew Cassie’s aim was spot on thanks to overprotective parents and living with the Avengers. 

“Cassie-,” he started as careful as he could, squinting at his girlfriend. He wouldn’t put it past her to just shoot unprovoked. “What are you doing?”

Cassie was the perfect daughter, caring and responsible, but as a girlfriend… let’s say she didn’t shrink back from letting loose around him. She could be playful and exciting, somehow managing to have fun without risking getting grounded or in any way regretting it later.

Peter also assumed she’d gained some credibility with the parents, allowing her to get away with more shit under the guise of intelligence and accountability.

It’s one of the things he loved about her. 

“You can’t leave yet!” She frowned at him, letting her lips fall into a pout as she gripped tighter to the web shooter in her hands.

“Why not?” Confusion coursed through him as he watched her, his puzzlement making him falter for a moment. 

“Because I need more cuddles!” Cassie blinked innocently at him, grin breaking past her sulking. 

Peter couldn’t hide that it made his stomach warm up, lungs fluttering happily at the sight as he rolled his eyes. “Very cute. Now give it back.”

“Come and take it.” She was fully grinning now wiggling her hips and shoulders in a challenge, dancing along to the music that was still playing from earlier.

“I would,” Peter chuckled, smile matching Cassie’s, “If I wasn’t so terrified of you getting trigger-happy.”

Cassie rolled her eyes at him, but tossed it back towards him. Peter easily caught it, trying not to get distracted by the sparkle in Cassie’s eyes. 

In one swift movement he had put on the shooter, aimed at the ceiling and swung until he was right in front her, pulling her against him again and pulling her down onto the couch as her giggles filled the room.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “God you’re an insufferable asshole… but you’re MY insufferable asshole.”
> 
> By: Daisy_PoisonPen

“Tony.”

Silence.

“STARK!”

“Hmm?” Tony was wearing a huge magnifying/headlight contraption on his head while carefully wiring a tiny device with dirty but precise fingers. “ _Che cos'è Duchessa? Sono occupato~_ ”

“S-Stop it!” 

Tony was grinning when he pulled off his head gear and wiped his hands, turning around on his stool. “Oh? _Ma io sono italiano, amore._ ”

Stephen huffed, cheeks pink from the way Tony’s words affected him, but otherwise irritated. “Stop distracting me with your fancy sexy words and get upstairs for dinner! Two of your children are crying and another is just like you, forgetting to feed himself, and I. am. _tired._ ”

Tony pulled Stephen against him, still smiling. “Hey, come here,” he soothed as Stephen stood between his legs. With another huff, Stephen draped his arms around Tony’s shoulders.

“Talk to me, honey,” Tony says, burying his face in Stephen’s shirt and kissing his chest over the fabric.

Stephen rambles. Tony’s hands rub his back just so, and the last few weeks of stress fall out of his mouth almost without even thinking them. Tony has been working hard at some Stark Industries development and as a result, has barely surfaced from his lab in more than a month. It’s not completely unusual, but this has been a particularly chaotic month. Peter’s villains had some sort of team up, Thomas had trouble in school, Harley was having nightmares again, Val would throw tantrums whenever Stephen would put her down to deal with any number of dimensional and familial crises, and Tony was _nowhere to be seen_. He didn’t normally feel so completely unsupported, but lately, he felt like he was dealing with it on his own.

Not to mention, his husband habitually slept on the lab couch and forgot to feed himself, leaving Stephen to remind him to eat and drink water but begging him to come to bed at night.

Tony’s smile slid away as he listened to Stephen express himself, and then finally he said, “I’m so sorry, _Duchessa_. I promise to be more present from here on out. I didn’t know things were so hard. You know I appreciate you, don’t you?”

Stephen, embarrassed at his sudden emotional outburst, wiped at his face with his wrist.

“Aww, Steph—hey, fuck, I’m sorry. What do i do?” Tony panics, pulling at his sleeves to wipe at Stephen’s face.

He leaves twin smudges on Stephen’s cheeks. He can’t help himself, he bursts into laughter.

“I love you, duchess,” Tony wheezes, grabbing a _new_ rag to clean Stephen’s face with.

Stephen snatches the rag out of his hand, scowling. “Augh! You’re such an insufferable douchebag!”

Tony chuckles. “ _Sei la moglie migliore che potessi desiderare_ ,” he says, leaning up to take Stephen’s lips. “I’m sorry, honey.”

Stephen grumbles and lets himself be held, relief from missing his _husband_ melting him into his arms. “‘remyinsufferabledouchebag,” he mumbles into Tony’s neck.

“All yours, _Duchessa_. C’mon, Thor’s home and between him and Quill, Peter, Steve, and Bucky we won’t even get to eat crumbs.”

Tony turned in his research on time but he made it a point to spend time with his family every day after that.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: For Mother's Day
> 
> By: ElisaPhoenix (Me)

When Stephen woke up, he was alone. Tony's side of the bed was empty, the baby was gone from her crib, and even his wolf wasn't at the foot of the bed or beside him. Athena always waited for Stephen to get up for the day to eat and go running for a bit at the lake house when the sorcerer opened a portal for her. The only time she didn't wait for Stephen was during the rare days he was sick and the doctor was positive that he wasn't. So that begged the question.

Where was everyone? Down in the living room?

Stephen grabs his phone off the nightstand to check the time and his eyebrows fly up to his hairline when he reads 8 o'clock. He had slept in. It was a miracle his youngest wasn't demanding his presence and that he hadn't been woken up by Tony or one of his many other children. He decided he would take advantage of the peace and quiet while he could and got up to take a long shower, something he hadn't done in a long time since a certain baby always wanted his undivided attention. Stephen got out, got dressed and ready to face the day, and left the bedroom to walk downstairs and start breakfast.

Except Tony was already turning off the stove and all six kids were sitting at the table eating chocolate chip pancakes and other assortments of breakfast foods. William was helping Valerie eat her baby cereal, Harley was helping Diana cut her pancakes...and Peter and Thomas weren't wolfing down their food like wild animals.

It had Stephen turning around and going back toward the stairs.

"Going back to bed _Duchessa_?" Tony asks with a hint of humor in his voice.  
"I'm going to find my sling ring. I'm clearly in the wrong dimension."   
His husband guffaws and walks over to kiss him good morning and lead him over to the table. "Sit down, Wanda made you your tea the way you like it."  
"Why?" Stephen asks as he sits down and Tony sets a plate of hot food in front of him and glances at the steam coming up from his mug. 

He got all seven people to look at him like he was the dumbest person in the universe. Even Valerie stopped eating to somehow manage a baby look of disappointment. It was a little disturbing.

"You...do know what today is, don't you?" Thomas asks.  
"Sunday." The doctor replies and grabs his tea to sip at it.

The five older children collectively facepalmed, but they said nothing more as the family ate their breakfast. Stephen didn't think anything more about their strange behavior after that until they were all finished eating and Thomas got up without a fuss to clear the table with Harley. They even cleaned the kitchen.

Stephen narrows his eyes. "What do you want?"  
Tony chokes on his coffee when he laughs and looks over at his wife. "You're so much of a mother that I think you forget that you are one."  
"Tony, that makes no sense."

Tony raises his eyebrows and looks down toward the floor and Stephen follows his gaze to find Athena sitting next to his chair and holding a small box in her mouth by the ribbon. The doctor takes it as he pets the wolf with a quiet thank you and after confirming it was for him by looking at Tony (who nods) he opens the box and pulls out a picture frame. In the frame was a picture of all six kids piled on the bed with Stephen and Tony (and even Tibbs and Athena) and at the bottom of the frame read World's Best Mom. 

That's when it finally clicked for Stephen and he groaned.

"It's Mother's Day."  
"You know, for being really smart...you can be really dumb." Tony cackles and Stephen smacks the back of his head.  
"I can't believe you forgot again." Peter snickers.  
The kids burst into laughter and Stephen smiles softly. "Regardless...I love the picture. Thank you."  
Tony leans over and kisses him. "This is only the beginning."


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “I know it’s a little expensive.”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

"I know it's a little expensive..." Harley turned to look towards the one William was pointing at, frowning when he noticed the price tag.

"For a phone I wouldn't classify that as 'expensive'." Harley tried to reason. He knew about the twins' - and especially William's - issues with money. He'd been like that too once, when he still lived with his mom, but he'd adapted quickly once at the tower, knowing Tony well enough to realise he wouldn't miss a thing. "It's probably one of the least expensive ones you can get."

Finding out the twins shared a cellphone wasn't too hard to understand. For one, money had been sparse for them on the streets, and second they hadn't truly needed one anyway. Yet, as soon as Tony had found out, they'd send them out to get new ones. 

Tony wasn't an expert on phones, and had already equipped everyone with their communication watches - but those were only for texting the family through the AI's. They needed one for texting friends and being normal teenagers. 

"There's one for thirty dollars right over there!" William pointed out, "This one is almost ten times that."

Harley laughed once he noticed William pointing at the phones which could only be classified as 'burner phones' because surely no one would use it for anything else. "Will, if you come home with one of those Dad will have a heart attack."

Grabbing his sleeve, he pulled him towards the smartphones - the ones you could actually use the internet with - and tried to convince William to get one a little higher in the price range.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “I...I have something to tell you, and I’m not sure how to say it.”  
> “You’re scaring me now, what’s going on?”
> 
> By: Daisy_PoisonPen

Tony listened to FRIDAY and took a slow breath, and then another. “And... we’re sure about this? It’s not some sort of mix up?”

"I checked the results myself, Boss."

“Okay,” he whispers. “Okay.”

"Boss?"

“Hmm.”

"We will be alright. I will make sure it."

Tony smiles. “Thanks, baby girl.”

At dinner, he picks at his food, feeling nauseous and uncomfortable. Stephen keeps glancing at him, trying to catch his gaze, but he says nothing.

Night time comes, and he takes Stephen almost desperately, hoping he can express with their bodies all the things he can’t say out loud.

Finally Stephen, holding him, asks, “What the hell is going on with you?”

Tony shakes his head. “I’m just grateful,” he whispers. “I survived. I mean, I survived Afghanistan, and I survived a fucking black hole, and being lost in space, and having my house blown the fuck up, and T-Thanos... I survived, and I met you and Pete and Harley, and I just... we had babies together. I get to have the family I dreamed of.”

“Oh, Tony...”

“I love you so, so much.”

“I love you, too.”

“I... I-I have something I have to tell you but I’m not sure... how to...”

“You’re scaring me, Tony, what’s going on?”

Tony swallows.

“Tell me.”

“Radiation,” Tony blurts out. “Being lost in space, and being in a black hole, and on another planet... even the infinity stones, probably. I’m not like Quill or even Bruce, or even Petey, where the radiation mutated them to make them stronger. My body... is failing, Steph. There’s nothing anybody can do.”

Stephen shakes. “How much?”

“What?”

“How much time?”

Tony lifts his head up to meet Stephen’s eyes. “Six months.”

Stephen’s arms tighten around him. Tears falling, he whispers, “Then we’re going to make this the best six months of your life.”


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “Honey, please stop telling people you’re my first wife”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

The gala was fun, Stephen guessed. 

People seemed to be enjoying themselves at least, holding on delicately to their flutes of champagne as they smiled and laughed, chattering away and sharing the gossip of the elite.

Others had gathered in the middle of the room, dancing along with the music. Stephen had never been to a fancy event where people actually danced, but he guessed that was his husband's doing, organising it so only the best music would be played and the most fun people would attend. 

Nevertheless, Stephen wished he wasn’t here. 

He missed his baby, whom he’d had to leave behind without even getting to tuck her into bed. 

He trusted the teens to take care of her - at least William and Cassie - but that didn’t take away from the fact that he’d rather be home than standing around a group of people who didn’t matter at all.

Well, Tony’s arm around his waist was nice, he supposed, and the engineer didn’t look anything short of amazing. 

“You okay, honey?” Tony leaned over to ask him, words brushing lightly over his ears. 

“Of course, why?”

“Well, I don’t know why that champagne deserves you scowling at it.”

Stephen sighed, schooling his features as he lowered the glass. He hadn’t even been aware he’d been doing it, but he forced his shoulders to relax as he smiled back at his husband. “Sorry.”

“We’ll get home as quickly as we can, I promise.” Tony leaned in to kiss him, pulling back with a devilish smirk on his face. It immediately made Stephen feel better, appealing to his own mischievous side as he relaxed. 

He could always speed up the process. 

Stepping back from his husband, he glanced around the room, spotting a group of people they hadn’t yet introduced themselves to. 

“You’re right,” he told Tony. By the suspicious narrowing of his eyes, Stephen knew Tony had recognised the challenge in his tone, hidden under layers of sweet syrup. “I should participate more.”

Turning around, he walked towards the first group that had caught his eye. He’d recognised one of them as some New York politician, the others wearing different pins and watches speaking of status’ just as high. Stephen could feel Tony’s eyes on him, the engineer having stepped up behind him, clearly curious as to what he was up to. 

“Nice to meet you,” Stephen spoke, the men immediately at his full attention as they clearly recognised him, happy to speak to not only one of the most important Avengers but also Tony Stark himself, standing right behind Stephen's right shoulder. “I’m Stephen Strange, Tony’s first wife.”

As expected, Tony didn’t react, just rolled his eyes with a hint of relief, clearly expecting this to be the full extend of Stephen’s plan. 

Stephen knew it was only the start however, as they made their way across the room, Stephen introducing himself as often as possible. The more he did, the more he could see Tony’s exasperation growing.

Eventually Tony caved, grabbing Stephen’s arm to stop him. He was halfway towards a new group when he did, and Stephen raised an expectant yet innocent eyebrow at his husband. 

“Honey, can you please stop introducing yourself as my first wife?”

“Why?” Stephen frowned with mock confusion.

“Because you’re not my ‘first wife’! You’re just my wife!”

“Well,” Stephen shrugged, “You’re my first husband, maybe that’s why I was confused…”

The intended effect was immediate, Tony’s eyes darkening as he glared at Stephen, hand tightening around his arm. 

Tony’s possessive side didn’t come out often, but Stephen loved every second of it, maybe because it eased his own jealous tendencies. Or just because it was a boost to his ego, having the hottest man in the universe want him this badly. 

“Maybe if you did a better job claiming me…,” Stephen trailed off. He knew he was pushing it, but Tony’s expression was just too wonderful, too easily played with.

A growl escaped Tony’s throat, and it hadn’t been Stephen’s intention to get aroused himself, but man if that wasn’t doing it for him. He composed himself, trying to keep his eyes from drooping closed at the sound. Tony pulled him aside, stepping closer to growl into his ear; “Portal. Now.”

Stephen didn’t need to be told twice, trying to hide his smile as Tony pushed the both of them through, capturing Stephen’s lips in a searing kiss. 

Stephen let himself get lost in it, could feel Tony softening underneath him, earlier thought forgotten as the were locked together. 

As soon as Tony’s hands started moving down to cup his ass, however, he leaned back, pushing Tony away as he tried to chase his lips. 

“Well that was a fun party,” he spoke casually, stepping away even as Tony’s eyes were on him, wide and incredulous. “I’m going to check on the baby.”

“Seriously, Strange!” Tony groaned as he realised what Stephen had done. “You played me?!”

Stephen hummed, teasing smile still around his lips as he headed into the hallway, calling back; “You sit there and think about what you’ve done!”

“What I’ve done?!” Tony’s indignant yell followed him all the way to Valerie’s room.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “A few years ago, If someone would’ve told me I’d be here, I would've thought they were crazy.”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

Preschool.

Well, this was a fresh hell.

He’d dropped Dia off at school plenty of times, but nothing could have possibly prepared him for this. 

All around them kids were screaming, either in joy as they chased each other around or in agony as they pleaded with their parents not to leave them behind. It made Stephen’s head throb, and he sent a small prayer to the gods that his kids weren’t so bad. At least not all of them.

Despite the fact that he hated this day and wished he could push it off indefinitely, there was a part of him that was glad to be here, to experience it. He hadn’t been that lucky with Dia.

Valerie was clinging to his shirt, unlike the other children silent and dry-eyed, but she clearly belonged to the second group. Her face was buried against his chest, and she - not so subtly - tried to climb into his coat, hiding out of sight from the other children. 

Stephen was happy to wrap his arms around her, clinging onto her just as badly, glaring at the school in front of him.

Did he seriously have to say goodbye?

They didn’t need to send her to preschool, and he could still change his mind.

“Honey,” Tony spoke up from besides him as if sensing the direction his thoughts were headed. “She has to learn to play with kids her own age, and get used to new people.”

Stephen turned his head to glare at him instead, tightening his grip around Valerie who gladly did the same.

Tony’s held his hands up in surrender, though he didn’t back down. “We’ve already discussed this. You agreed.”

Stephen sighed. Tony was right, of course; he was most of the time.   
Though Stephen would never dare to admit that. He turned his gaze back to the school, watching the teachers greet the kids, most still clinging to their parents’ hand. Some seemed to be returning, already greeting the teachers eagerly with hugs or tales about their summer. 

“A few years ago, if someone would’ve told me I’d be here, I would’ve thought they were crazy.” He sighed again, looking down at Valerie and planting a kiss on the crown of her head. 

“I know, baby,” Tony soothed, taking a step closer to him and putting a comforting hand on his arm.

“And even if I’d imagined it, it would have been with a kid who’d be glad to leave my side. Let alone that I’d care this much.”

Tony leaned in to press a kiss to his cheek. “I like this Stephen better. You’ll get her back tonight, you know.”

Stephen huffed, looked down at Valerie again and pulled her off him. She tried to hold on to his shirt, but he managed to put her on the ground eventually. Valerie frowned up at him, immediately reaching out her hands to be picked up again. 

With pain in his heart he didn’t comply, only grabbed her hand and started leading her towards the front gates. She looked up at him in betrayal, eyes now starting to fill with tears too as if she couldn’t believe he’d actually leave her here. 

_This was ridiculous._

Glaring back at Tony, he picked Valerie up again, the toddler immediately clinging at his collar in relief, and he made a portal to the sanctum, leaving Tony staring after them in exasperation.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: "I love the rain. It's just so peaceful, ya know? It makes you feel alive."   
> "Yeah well you'll be feeling dead in a few days when you get a cold, now come back inside and dry off!"
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

He hates rain.

Whenever he’d have to walk home from school, having missed his bus due to detention - undeserved of course - it would rain, and his shoes would soak through with mud. He’d stumble along the back roads, slipping through the puddles, and he’d be sure that whichever power was in control was making fun of him. He used to be convinced that the fates had it out for him specifically. Or maybe it was Karma, making him pay for whichever teacher he’d insulted that day or whatever asshole he’d kicked in the shins. 

He’d curse the rain and every step until he could get home and take a warm shower and wash his misery off of him.

Then one day, he’d come home on time for once, the bus dropping him off in front of the inferno that was his home. 

And he’d _prayed_ for rain. _Prayed_ to that same higher force that the rain could wash away the flames. 

That hadn’t happened of course - and logically he knew even a rainstorm would have had trouble dousing the fire. But he’d prayed nonetheless. 

It hadn't worked. His family had died. And he’d moved to New York city.

It didn’t rain as often in New York, for which he was glad. 

Whenever it did, he had this chill running into his bones that even an extra hoodie couldn’t fix, but at least he could hide from the rain. 

Happy picked them up from school - no more walking through the mud - and he’d tinker in the lab or study in his room with his back to the window. 

So for the life of him, he didn’t understand why William was standing on the deck - not even wearing a raincoat - as he stared over the city.

He stopped in the doorway, making sure not to allow the rain to touch him, as he called out to him. “What are you doing?”

William jumped slightly as he turned to face him. Harley wasn’t sure he was imagining the colour rising to his cheek, but he ignored it. Smiling sheepishly, William took a step back towards the building as he shrugged. “Just enjoying the weather.”

He rolled his eyes. _Of course William was one of those people who actually liked the rain._ “Didn’t you used to live on the streets?”

He certainly didn’t imagine the flush now, and Harley winced slightly. Maybe he _should_ take his parents’ advice and work on being less crass. Still, he couldn’t imagine anyone who didn’t have a roof over their head liking the rain. Even people who claimed to enjoy stormy weather, only every really liked watching it from the safety of their homes; only enjoying it as long as they were hidden from the wetness and everything that truly _was_ the rain by a sheet of glass. 

“We knew how to take shelter,” William still answered his question, which surprised Harley. He glanced away from him as he spoke though, which Harley took as his punishment. William’s eyes roamed over the gray city instead. “It’s cleansing. Washes all the grime away.”

That didn’t make sense to Harley; if it was truly cleansing it should have washed Tennessee off the map by now. Or maybe that’s exactly why it rained so often there, trying to complete a Sisyphean task.

“I love the rain,” William shrugged again, eyes locking on Harley once more for which he was grateful. He liked William’s eyes. “Even if it doesn’t make sense. It’s so peaceful, you know? It makes you feel alive.”

Swallowing, Harley nodded slightly, almost pulled into the trance of the rain. Almost caving to the rhythmic thumping of the water as he stared into William’s eyes. Yet when a drop rolled off the frame above him, landing on his shoulders, he gathered his senses and took a step back inside. “Yeah, well, you’ll be feeling dead in a few days when you get a cold. Now come back inside and dry off!”

A smile broke over William’s face as he did as told, following Harley back into the warmth of the kitchen. Harley tried not to stare at how it lit up his entire face. “You’re starting to sound like Mom, you know.”

That quickly sobered Harley up, gawking at William in indignation as he grabbed a kitchen towel off the drying rack and tossed it at the other teen. “Take that back right now!”

Their laughs rang through the kitchen, warming Harley from the earlier chill as he decided that maybe the rain wasn’t so bad after all.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: "Please stop feeling up my husband."
> 
> By: Daisy_PoisonPen

Stephen was _tired_. Between Kamar-Taj, a rogue sorcerer attack on the London Sanctum, some inter-dimensional crisis, and spending time in the New York Sanctum, he had completely forgotten about the annual fundraiser gala for the Snap victims that had returned home and were struggling.

It was a particularly un-fun event for Tony on account of him having to relive losing his entire family in the snap, basically, so Stephen promised to attend in support.

Exhausted, he schlepped himself into the shower and then into a tux, doing his best to try to appear enthusiastic. 

With a bit of a spell, he makes himself look like he’s slept recently and he and Tony take off, arriving when champagne is flowing a little too freely and rich people dripping in diamonds watch Tony enter the building with some mixture of awe and disdain. Stephen was already over it. “I understand why you hate these things now,” he muttered, not for the first time. “I’m getting us both drinks.”  
“Now you’re speaking my language, _Duchessa._ ”  
Stephen looks at him, puzzled. “Was I not, before?”

Tony rolls his eyes and pushes him toward the bar while he starts making his rounds, schmoozing people into donating.

Stephen sits at the bar for a moment, just trying to relax. the air is heavy with the smell of flowers and expensive perfumes, and the live orchestra is playing music to dance to but he’s really just like to be home with—

_Well. Excuse the everlasting fuck out of me._

He asks for two doubles of scotch, each with a splash of water—no need to get drunk today—and marches over to his husband.

“Oh, excuse me,” somebody says while he hands Tony his drink.  
“You’re excused,” Stephen says, his tone absolutely bitchy.   
Offended, the woman says, “Mr. Stark was just going to get a lady a drink, so...”  
“What he said, I’m sure, was that his wife was getting him a drink. Please stop feeling up my husband and go get yours to spend money on this cause,” Stephen said flatly. “Although no amount of money will make up for you being a vapid husband stealer.”

The woman’s jaw drops, and Stephen just smiles sweetly and downs most of his scotch.

“Yep. I remember you. Last year you came here with a different husband... who was Mrs. Brand’s husband before you started pulling these same sorts of moves. Scamper off, I’m waiting.”  
When she’s gone, Tony gulps most of his scotch, too. “Jesus. Fuck. Why do I sign up for these things?”  
“Because you’re a hero,” Stephen mutters, leading them back to the bar. 

So much for not getting drunk.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: "The sooner you shut up the sooner we can get out of...whatever this is."
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

“FRIDAY, what time is it?” Tony asked his AI, grimacing as he finally finished up the last wire.

“2 PM, Boss.” 

Sitting up straight, webshooter abandoned on the table in front of him, he stared up at the ceiling. “Seriously?” 

“Yes.”

“What day?”

“Still Thursday, Boss.”

“Oh wow.” Tony blinked as he glanced around the lab, taking in the mess illuminated by the light streaming in from outside. It felt like he’d been working for ages - to the point he’d been afraid of getting scolded by Stephen if he went upstairs to join him in bed. So, finding out it had merely been a few hours…well, that was definitely a nice change. 

He was done for the day, too, meaning he’d make it back upstairs even before the kids returned from school. Maybe he could even go pick Diana up himself for old-times sake. 

Working out the kinks in his back, he stretched as he got up, but before he could even taken a step, the doors to the lab slid open. 

He turned to see Stephen walking towards him. There was a smile on his face, which Tony took as a sign he wasn’t in trouble. 

“Guess I’m not the only one finishing early today,” he smiled at his husband in turn as Stephen stepped up to him, eagerly accepting a kiss. “Where’s _topolina_?”

“Quill managed to divert her attention.”

Tony hummed happily, leaning in to kiss Stephen once more. “We better take advantage of that.”

Stephen smiled against his lips, but when Tony pulled back, he frowned as he looked around them.

“It looks like a tornado went through here,” Stephen huffed, “you should probably clean this up before the children get back.”

“Come on, Duchess, I can clean up later.” Tony rolled his eyes fondly. Stephen was right, of course, as he often was. There were a lot of toys and unfinished pieces lying around that the teens would love to play with. Which could definitely cause them to loose a few fingers. “How often do you get time away from Val?”

He could see Stephen’s resolve breaking in front of him. Even though he was trying to stay determined, Tony noticed him glancing down at his lips as he grit his teeth, and when Tony initiated another kiss, Stephen didn’t stop him. In fact, he pressed in even closer, deepening the kiss.

Tony took that as permission to crowd Stephen against his worktable, the sorcerer shifting until he was sitting on top of it. Stephen’s hand reached behind him to make more space. 

He must have accidentally pressed on the discarded piece of the web shooter he’d taken out earlier, because a second later there was a squelching sound as pink-coloured liquid - more like a paste, really - doused them fully. 

They stood frozen in place - both from surprise and because the paste was already hardening, expanding until it was like a cocoon around their legs. 

Tony flinched, blinking at their predicament as he glanced towards Stephen. 

“I _told_ you you needed to clean up!” Stephen groaned in exasperation. “I thought I could take one afternoon off, but of course the universe wouldn’t be so kind!”

“Come on, honey, it’s not that bad! I’m sure-,”

“Don’t start, Tony! This is the last time I listen to you!”

“You didn’t actually listen.. more like you were seduced by me.” Tony’s smirk didn’t last long as Stephen glared at him, continuing to ramble at him for at least another five minutes. 

“Alright!” Tony eventually tried to calm Stephen down, annoyed as his legs were starting to fall asleep inside their mold. “The sooner you shut up the sooner we can get out of… whatever this is.”

One day, Stephen was going to win awards with that glare. Tony was certain of it.

In the end, it didn’t take too long to dissolve the material, as KAREN still had the recipe for that particular failed experiment on file. Fortunately for Tony, Stephen had realised staying angry would do no one any favours, and had decided to amuse himself by kissing Tony’s neck as he worked. With the position they were in, he’d barely had to reach to press his lips against Tony’s skin, and he probably thought it would be a good motivator for Tony to get them out as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, Stephen also used it as a tactic to punish him.

As soon as they were free, Stephen smirked at him, a look so enticing Tony couldn’t look away. Yet, when Tony tried to kiss Stephen again, the sorcerer stepped away from him.

“Clean up. I’m going upstairs to greet the kids.”


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “I’m armed. One more step and I’ll stab you with a crayon.”
> 
> By: bowsofwrath

“I’m armed. One more step and I’ll stab you with a crayon.” Valerie told the creature slowly advancing towards her. She didn't know how or why she was in what looked like an empty shopping mall. The thing had dirty white fur, long ears and huge buck teeth. She was holding her favorite purple crayon like she had seen Uncle Bucky hold one of his knives.

Valerie was a big girl and wasn't going to be scared, even though she was her usual height and very afraid.

"I'm-m warning you," she said. The creature still approached. She was going to be brave. The creature emitted a static giggle and her resolve failed. "Mommy" she started screaming as she turned to run away. Valerie could hear her name being called just as the thing caught her and she screamed even louder.

"Valerie, wake up it's okay. It's just a bad dream."

Still crying, Valerie realized it was Peter who had her in a tight hug. He must have heard her whimpers. Valerie clutched at her brother. Peter handed her Mooey who had fallen to the floor in all the chaos. "Do you want to talk about it?" Peter asked.

Valerie shook her head and hiccuped.

Peter smoothed down her hair and held on to her for a while until she did speak. "Peter?"  
"Yeah Val?" he asked.  
"I don't like the Easter Bunny." She said with a sniffle.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “It’s not that I don’t appreciate the thought.”
> 
> By: SiriuslyCloudy

Peter began pulling ingredients out of the cabinet. He remembered the last disastrous time he tried to cook for Tony and Stephen but he’s determined. He has been with Cassie long enough that some of her culinary mastery must have rubbed off on him. Plus, it’s not like he’s making a three course meal. I mean how can you screw up breakfast in bed? It’s easy right?

So he pulls out the eggs, the bacon, some bread and gets to cooking. It seems to be going well so he’s humming and half dancing around the kitchen as he gathers jelly and sugar and all the necessary things for breakfast. 

He goes back to the stove just as the bacon pops and splatters hot grease on his bare chest. 

“OW! Crap that’s hot!” He tries rubbing the grease off but keeps getting popped by it every time he turns. He finally decides to run upstairs for a shirt, hoping to stop the worst of the splatter. By the time he gets back the bacon is a little crisper than he wanted but it’s fine. It’ll do. 

So he starts on the eggs. “Crack them in the bowl. No shell. Good.” He reaches for the spice cabinet as he talks quietly to himself. “A little pepper. Maybe some garlic. A little salt. Little more.” He beats the eggs then adds them to the hot pan, stirring as he goes. 

As that cooks he makes some toast (perfectly) and begins platting the food. Some bacon, toast, jams and jellies, coffee and orange juice and lastly eggs all go onto plates and onto a tray that he gingerly picks up after making sure all the eyes on the stove are off.   
He’s proud of himself. He finally cooked a meal without messing anything up!

He carries the tray up the stairs and to his parents room where he has FRIDAY make sure they are clothed and decent before entering. The lights come up slowly, waking both men. 

“Hey bambino. What’s this?” Tony says groggily as he sits up in the bed.   
Peter beamed as he said “I made you guys breakfast in bed!”   
“Well that was sweet of you cub.” Stephen grumbles as he stretches and Tony accepts the tray of food. Tony goes straight for the coffee as Stephen grabs his orange juice and plate of food.

Both men dig into the eggs to almost immediately spit them out. 

“How much salt did you add to these eggs Peter?” Tony asks with a grin.   
“Uhh I don’t know. Some?” He replies with a shrug.   
“It’s not that I don’t appreciate the thought, but maybe a little less next time. My old heart can’t take that much sodium.” Tony is still grinning as Peter starts to blush.   
“Oh leave him alone. He did good. Remember the fire extinguisher from last time?” Stephen asked as he held his arm out for Peter to crawl into bed next to him. Peter was blushing even harder but still slid in next to Stephen to snuggle as Mama Bear ate. “This is good cub. Thank you for doing this. Was there any special occasion for it?”  
“Well. Uh. Kinda.” Peter sputtered.   
“Well, what is it?” Tony asked as he buttered his toast.  
“Well. It’s the anniversary of the first day I called Mom, mom. I thought it was important.” He hid his face in Stephens side as the men got quiet. There was a gentle sound of plates and glasses being sat down before he was smothered by cuddling arms and ‘awww’s from his mom and dad.   
“You’re too precious for words.” He heard Tony mutter as he smiled happily in their mini cuddle pile. 

Maybe breakfast wasn’t perfect, much like his family, but it was good and full of love, and that’s what mattered.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “Okay stop going to sleep at 4am, it makes you sleep deprived and philosophical.”
> 
> By: Daisy_PoisonPen

The thing was, Tony was _used_ to operating on four hours of sleep per week. Stephen, gods help him, was used to operating on four hours of sleep a week. Hell, Harley was the king of procrastinating homework, and therefore, the king of last-minute all-nighters.

Peter... needed sleep.

"H-h'dad?"

"What are you doing up?"

"I was busy."

"Again?! Busy doing what?!"

"Spider-man stuff. D'you know that one of my secret powers is basically defying physics?"

"How so?" Tony asks curiously.

"Well I don't have an exo-skeleto-thingy so the G-Forces I experience when i'm swinging you know, around, swingin'round, can or should--and sometimes do turn my insides into meat slushies. But I'm not dead yet. Soooo I am proud t' say that defying death and the laws of nature are in my 'complish-ments. Why'd'ya think I'm not dead yet?"

"A miracle. Or, alternatively, because your mother would bring you back from the dead to read you the riot act for dying on him. Take your pick."

"Hmm." Peter taps his finger to his chin. "Should make him a green tea smoothie. 's like the best of both worlds--tea in a smoothie. Smoothie made of tea. No meat."

Tony gives up and stands up, guiding his son out of the lab and back toward bed. "First eww, of course there'd be no meat, that's disgusting. And second, you clearly need sleep. Come on, move along."

"n-no! I didn't even get't'tell you about my other secret power--dad!" And he spidermonkeys himself onto Tony, effectively sticking to him.

Tony drags himself to the couch and sits with Peter still glomped to him.

"What's the matter, _Bambino_?" he asks, rubbing the boy's back.

"I don't wanna sleep. It wastes time."

"Time?"

"Uh-huh. Time ish'our most precious resources."

"Okay. You know what? I think you need to stop coming home at 4am. It's past your curfew and you get all sleep deprived and drunk philosophical."

"C'n I sleepin?"

"No."

"But 'm gonna runoutta time'f you."

Tony feels his chest ache a little. "No you won't, kiddo. I promise, Mom and I are going to be here for a long, long time. Okay?"

"'kay."

"Come on, you can stay with me tonight."


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “Hang on. Where’s the baby?”
> 
> By: LadyNikolea

It had been a hard week for everyone. Finals week for the kids and the Avengers themselves all had terrible missions that left each of them injured in some way. Everyone was walking around with frayed nerves and short tempers, often monotonously dismissing conversations. It didn't help that Mama Bear was in another dimension for another day according to Wong so they couldn't even get cuddles from him as comfort.   
Cassie could not stand it anymore and finally snapped when even Harley was not paying attention to a single word that William was saying to him. She grabbed William unceremoniously and dragged him to the family floor. Peter, who was sitting on the couch, moping from a loss to Green Goblin and the Vulture this week watched her come in and he knew the fire in her eyes.

"Oh no, I want nothing to do with this Cass, please..."  
"Uh uh, no. Everyone is so depressed, you do not get to say no to me today. I want you to clear out every piece of furniture we have up here and place it in the bedrooms. I want every mattress from every room on this floor now. I do not want to see an inch of carpet, you hear me?"  
With a small nod Peter quietly gets up from the couch and starts doing as his girlfriend asks.   
"Why did you abduct me then?" William asks, head tilted to the side.   
"I want you to coordinate with Friday so when I am done baking you teleport everyone who lives in this damn building here. We are having a cuddle session, mom or no mom."

Cassie got to work on the cupcakes, Dia joining her halfway through, helping her by washing any of the dishes she used. She also magically brought out all of the comfy blankets and pillows and made a nest in the pile of mismatched mattresses on the floor. It looked like the bedding department of a store threw up in the living room of the family floor and Dia was not even done yet. She had Friday deactivate every single light bulb and strung up fairy lights while Cassie continued to bake, she and William even prepared the movies and snacks they would be consuming for this cuddle session. Once everything was done, Cassie looked like she could cry and asked William to bring everyone in.

In various states of activity the Avengers popped through portals, some falling on mattresses or standing straight up. Harley who had been watching Valerie on the Quill-Lang floor looks up from the mattresses and asks the alll important question. 

"What the hell?"  
"I am invoking a mandatory cuddle session. Now. Friday, lock down the floor. That includes vents." Cassie replied looking at the irritated mass of people in front of her. She quickly held out the brownies and cupcakes she baked and pointed to one end of the mattresses where drinks and snacks were laid out. "No one leaves until Mama Bear gets home. Now get comfy." 

Dia sat down and Cassie went to cuddle her and was met quickly by Scott and Quill who sat behind her, back to the wall. Natasha gave a shrug and laid herself in front of Dia who instantly started playing with the assassin's hair. Bucky decided to lay across Natasha and opened his arms to his lover and Steve, sighing went to do as he was bid.

Peter was quick to follow and everyone found themselves in a giant cuddle pile and stayed to watch movies. Tony, who sat by the snacks, dished them out as he patiently waited for his husband, who he knew would be proud of what Cassie had done.

When Stephen did finally arrive, looking a little worse for wear after a few days away, he stumbled upon the massive cuddle pile and the only one still awake was Cassie herself. Her hand absentmindedly soothing her boyfriends hair away from his face. 

"What happened here?"  
"Everyone was moping. I demanded a cuddle pile. I kinda abducted everyone from wherever they were and locked down the floor so no one could leave. I didn't know what else to do."  
With a smile Stephen replied, "You did well, thank you cub. Hang on, where's the baby?"

With a small smile Cassie pointed across the mattresses to Harley who was laying with Valerie wrapped in his arms while a sleeping Natasha had her arms around both of them. It was the sweetest sight that Stephen could have come home to and he was grateful that someone took care of the family while he was gone.


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “Why did you lie to me?”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

Thomas finished a message to his friend as the elevator neared the top floor, sending it off right as the doors opened. It was still strange being here, as it had only been about a week since their lives had so drastically changed. His friends still couldn’t believe it, and if it wasn’t for the fact that he was standing here, he probably wouldn’t either. 

The first thing he noticed was Peter, Harley and Cassie sitting on the couch. Cassie and Peter were talking, discussing something while pointing at their phones. Harley was watching TV, cutting in with his own opinions every so often.

Before he could wonder where his brother was, he heard Dia’s voice coming from upstairs, suggesting William was up there too, playing with her and possibly also Valerie.

He was about to join the other teens on the couch and annoy Harley into changing the channel, when Stephen appeared in the kitchen doorway. 

“Thomas, come here please.”

Frowning to himself, he did as he was told, following Stephen into the kitchen. His earlier suspicion seemed to be correct, as Stephen’s hip was free of toddler, and he moved to take a seat at the table as Stephen indicated.

It was all awfully familiar, and Thomas suppressed a sigh as he mentally prepared himself. 

He wasn’t even sure what he’d done wrong.

They were lucky to be in a home again - certainly one as kind and accepting as this - and this time he’d been determined not to get kicked out. 

Even if he had been fine on the streets, even if he preferred taking care of himself, even if part of him was certain they’d end up being hurt again…he at least wanted this for William. His brother was still hesitant, he knew, and Thomas didn’t blame him. 

Thomas had often acted out purposefully, wanted _him_ to be the reason they got kicked out. 

Even as children, he’d noticed they’d often been sent along purely because foster dicks couldn’t deal with the possibility that the ‘quiet and polite one who gets excited because of butterflies’ might be gay. 

He was pretty sure William knew to a degree, despite his best efforts to keep it concealed from him, though he probably didn’t know that it had started so early. 

So, Thomas had most often been the reason they got kicked out. He never cared much about pleasing people anyway, so it only came natural to him. He didn’t follow rules just because, and stood up for himself and the other kids when their foster parents were being assholes. 

But here, he knew that William wouldn’t be the reason they got kicked out, and so he had been on his best behaviour. It had been only a week, and yet somehow, he already seemed to be in trouble.

Stephen sat down opposite him, fixing him with a serious expression, hands crossed in front of him. “Why did you lie to me?” 

Thomas blinked in confusion. “I didn’t.”

“You said you had to finish a project at school,” Stephen elaborated, and Thomas felt a lightbulb go on in the back of his head. Yet, he managed to keep his face unmoving, practiced in not showing any guilt. “Yet, Happy saw you leave with friends when picking up Cassie and your brother.” 

_Ooooh, rookie mistake._ He wasn’t used to being picked up and hadn’t thought twice about being seen. 

He fought against the embarrassment at being caught, however, shifting it into indignation instead. 

To him, anger had always been one of the easiest emotions to express. Crossing his arms in front of him, he scoffed. “So? Maybe we went to finish the project somewhere else.”

“Look,” Stephen sighed, unlocking his hands and leaning back in his chair. “I don’t intend to micromanage you. I know you - and William - had your own lives before coming here and are used to being independent.”

Thomas bit his lip and kept scowling, despite the sudden hope blossoming in his chest that maybe they weren’t kicked out yet after all. It seemed a ridiculous reason to get kicked out, but it wouldn’t be the first time he let his anger get the best of him. Wouldn’t be the first time a simple discussion turned into a full-blown fight and a night on the streets. 

“But when you lie about something as simple as going out with friends after school,” Stephen continued, still watching him carefully as he let his voice take on a more calming tone. “it makes me worry that you’re hiding something more. Wouldn’t you wonder what would be so bad about going out with friends that no one is allowed to know?”

“So, why _did_ you lie?” Stephen urged after another minute of silence.

Thomas sighed, his resolve and anger fading away as he ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t even realise I had.” 

And he really hadn’t. He was so used to it; he hadn’t even thought twice about it. If he’d spared a minute to think about it, he would have realised Stephen and Tony probably wouldn’t have minded. Peter left after school all the time to be a vigilante, so hanging out with a couple friends probably felt like nothing. 

But as it was, he hadn’t even considered asking for permission, hadn’t thought it an option. 

“It’s always been easier to say I was working for school, no matter what house we were in.” Thomas continued. 

Stephen nodded in understanding. “Thomas, I need you to know that you don’t have to ask for permission to hang out with friends, as long as you let us know where you’re going and when you’ll be home. We’re not like the other families you’ve been with.”

Thomas nodded, keeping his gaze on the table. 

“And I need you to be honest with me about these kinds of things, because we’re not like any other families. If anything were to happen, we need to know where you are or at least where you were last.”

Again, Thomas nodded, but this time he looked up and caught Stephen’s smile.

“Now set the table, take-out will be here any second.”


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “You’ve got thirty seconds to explain to me what you’re doing here.”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

“You have thirty seconds to explain what you’re doing here.”

“Stephen-,” Tony tried to start, taking off his sunglasses and putting them in his chest pocket. The sanctum was quiet as usual, Wong probably having scampered off somewhere as soon as he had sensed Tony’s presence. Stephen was standing at the top of the stairs, arms crossing and looking down at him with hard eyes. 

“No, Tony,” Stephen argued immediately, not even given him the thirty seconds he was promised. It gave Tony hope, showing that he clearly wasn’t as indifferent as he was trying to look. If he focused hard enough he could easily catch the hurt behind his eyes, but he hated the way it made his chest constrict, so he quickly looked away again. “If you can’t find the guts to commit-,“

“That’s not-,” Tony winced and quickly dismissed Friday’s notification of an incoming call. Through the way his eyes narrowed and his lips pressed tighter together, he realized it hadn’t gone unnoticed by the sorcerer. “Look, I’m needed! As are you! I don’t understand how you could have a problem with that!”

“I am needed,” Stephen scoffed up at the ceiling, but quickly looked down again to glare at him, “yet I still manage to find time to spend with you without constantly getting interrupted! So why don’t you?”

Tony grit his teeth together. He knew Stephen had a point. He wasn’t even sure why he so feared ‘logging off’ so to speak. He lived with the remaining ‘Avengers’, lived at SI, … he was so used to his life revolving around nothing else. 

He went to work, tinkered with his own projects, and saved the world whenever it was required. If he found the time to eat and sleep it was a good week. 

Since getting to know Stephen and going on dates with him, his life had already improved so much he could hardly believe it. He had gotten a healthier routine and had things to look forward to, moments he got to spend with someone funny and intelligent and seriously pretty.

He liked Stephen, loved the moments he got to spend with him, yet he still couldn’t shake the feeling that just a call away disaster was happening. He understood Stephen’s frustration with it all, sadly; for about a month now, every moment they’d gotten together had been interrupted. And it wasn’t even always life-threatening. 

He still spent too much time with regular SI work, had to run out on dinner one too many times because he had to finish a proposal or take a business call - and sure he could get assistants to help him, maybe find some eager interns…

It had worked out for the first few months of their relationship, but Tony had let himself slip. 

He’d let himself get caught up in falling for Stephen, had let himself moon over the sorcerer and neglect his duties; he’d skip the last meeting of the day so he’d be able to pick up food before Stephen would arrive back from his mission, would stick to easy and small tasks and projects so he’d have more time to spend with Stephen, and ignore SI calls for hours just so he could stay in bed with Stephen just a little while longer.

As much as he loved every peaceful minute with the sorcerer, he really didn’t want to slip back into old habits. He didn’t want to go AWOL for an entire weekend to spend a few nights in a fancy hotel in Vegas, didn’t want to miss out on important communication, or be out of the loop of the contracts his company was signing. 

He didn’t want to become that irresponsible asshole again, the one that only went out and left others to do the hard work. The one that allowed his weapons to fall into the wrong hands.

“I can’t just turn off my work!”

“Why not?” Stephen bit back, “You didn’t have a problem with this before! Are you really tired of me this quickly, is that it?! Is this your way of avoiding me until you find the ‘right time’ to end it?!”

“No, not at all! Please, Stephen-,” Tony tried to reason, finally recognizing how it must look from Stephen’s point of view. Before he could interject - before he could reassure that of course Tony still loved him - Friday tried to speak up again and he had to shush her once more. 

Stephen’s jaw tightened and he rolled his eyes. “You can’t even bother to silence your phone when fighting with your boyfriend!”

“Look, that’s not-,”

“Boss, the hospital is trying to contact you.” That finally caught Tony’s attention, allowing Friday to elaborate as he noticed it catching Stephen’s attention as well. He knew Stephen well enough to realize he wouldn’t have a problem with a serious emergency, even if he would still be annoyed at the universe about it. “They say it’s concerning Peter Parker.”

That made Tony’s heart stop. He hadn’t gotten any messages about Peter’s suit being damaged, but he knew that only the most severe of injuries would cause Peter to land in the hospital. Stephen was frowning at him in thought, clearly wondering the same thing with worry overclouding his anger. 

“What happened, Fri?”

“They say May Parker was in an accident and you’re her emergency contact.”

“I take it your car’s outside,” Stephen asked before Friday had even finished her sentence. He was down the stairs and out the door before Tony had even managed to get his heart to start working again. 

As it turned out, their argument, which had felt detrimental to their relationship but a second before, was completely insignificant in the grand scheme of things.


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “Who put this in my coat pocket?”
> 
> By: LadyNikolea

Tony came onto the family floor, slightly annoyed by the look of it and found all of his kids sitting in the living room. 

"Who put this in my coat pocket?"

Tony held up a worm, still alive and wriggling to his kids. 

"Is that a worm?" Harley asked, pure confusion on his face. 

"Yes. it is. I was in the middle of a meeting when it came out of my pocket to say hi, the pocket where I normally keep my sunglass. So, who put it in my pocket?"

Harley looked at Peter, who shrugged and shook his head, both of them turned to look at Dia who was mean mugging the worm like it was the nastiest thing she had ever seen. Valerie however looked contrite and just raised a small hand and could not look her father in the eyes. 

"He's mine...."

Tony looked toward his youngest child and just said one word, "explain".

"Well, I've been gardening on the balcony of my room and the worms were to enrich the soil...one of them escaped and I guess he found his way into your coat... I'm sorry Daddy."

The rest of the kids all looked at Tony like he had betrayed them and he automatically back tracked and said "That's fine honey, it was an accident," he walks over to hand her the worm. 

"Just keep them on a tighter leash, ok?"

With a smile Val takes her worm and skips away to her room happily talking about dirt. 

"Why couldn't one of them be normal?" Tony says to himself before throwing the coat in a laundry basket to get cleaned later.


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “You’re going in there right now and apologizing."
> 
> By: Daisy_PoisonPen

Harley huffed as Stephen put his hand on his hip and glared. “I... I didn’t think it would scare her. Jeez, it was a harmless prank.”  
Stephen glared his patented Mom Glare TM . “That’s a pretty common excuse with you, you know?” Harley withered under Stephen’s angry expression. “You’re going in there right. now. and apologizing.”  
Harley nodded and darted into his sister’s room, engulfing her in a hug. “I’m sorry, Dia. I didn’t mean to scare you like that, honest. I love you baby sister, I’d never let anything bad happen to you.”  
Diana returned the hug, sniffling. “Don’t worry, Harley,” she said into his shirt. 

What she should have said is, _Don’t worry, Harley, I’ll get you back_.

It started with Harley coming into the living room and finding his precious sister asleep on her side on the couch, her cheeks rosy and covered in sleep lines, her hair messy and splayed... and her body levitating a foot and a half off the couch. Confused and a little scared, he carefully shook her awake, and her body landed on the couch with a soft thud.

He thought nothing of it... after all, Dia did have magic too and sometimes Stephen levitated when he was meditating.

But then, three days later, Harley was reading his book for English literature class (for once) when Diana sat down to color at the coffee table, she suddenly let out a piercing scream that shattered the glass in the table and even Stephen’s mug of tea. Sobbing and scared, Dia looked up at Harley and her eyes and eyeballs were as black as night.

Shaken, Harley lifted her away from the shattered glass and handed her off to Stephen, who tried to calm her while Harley cleaned up the glass.

But then came the final straw.

Dia started having nightmares, horrible ones that left her sobbing and running for Mom or her big brothers to cuddle with. Peter told him one morning, “Hey...do you think Dia is okay? She...was talking in her sleep last night but it wasn’t her voice. It was deeper...like if she were in a horror movie.”

Harley was horrified. Sure enough, Dia came to his room sobbing that night, tears in her eyes. Harley simply lifted his covers and helped her into bed, and then rolled over and went to sleep. But...something was off...

When he opened his eyes again, Dia was standing at the edge of the bed, a twisted, unnatural smile on her face and her eyes glowing bright red. She said, “I’ve come for you, Harley.” 

Harley screamed.

Peter in his suit, Stephen in his battle armor, Tony in his suit, Steve with his shield, and Bucky armed to the teeth, all showed up and burst into his room, only to find Diana giggling and Loki on the floor _cackling_.

Harley frowned, but Diana just wheezed, “It was just a harmless prank, big brother, I didn’t think it would scare you!”  
“S-So let me get this straight,” Harley muttered. “...the levitating?”  
“Wanda helped me but I can do it on my own now,” Diana said proudly.  
“The eyes?”  
"A simple illusion,” Stephen said, leaning in the door jamb.  
“You too, Mom?!” Harley cried in disbelief.   
“What about the story Peter told me?”

Peter pulled off his mask, smiling sheepishly. “I couldn’t resist, you prank me all the time. Dia said she needed me to tell a story about her talking funny, and Dad and FRIDAY even made up fake footage in case you didn’t believe me.”

Harley gaped. “DAD!!”

Tony’s nanotech vanished into their case in his arc reactor, leaving behind pajamas. “I also made a frequency actuator for the table so that it would shatter safely when Dia screamed.”

Harley grumbled, “Do you know who isn’t involved in this? Quill. What’s he have to do with it? I’ve pissed him off enough times.”

That was when Loki sat up from the ground, grinning. “Well, who do you suppose called me? I was quite happy to join a prank of this magnitude. I even cleared my schedule for the week.” He shrugged, “by the way, my eyes are naturally the color you saw. So it wasn’t all fake, if you find any comfort in that.

Harley let out a frustrated sound. He screeched, “mAGIC IS CHEATING!” and everyone burst into laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Epilogue: FRIDAY made a copy of this epic moment and emailed it to each of the avengers, and Harley never ever pranked Dia again.)


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: (We missed it on June 7th!! I'm a failure!) Valerie's Birthday.
> 
> By: ZoxiQ

Valerie sat up in her room at the lake house and colored at her tiny table in her room. She hummed softly, unaware of the semi-controlled chaos going on beneath her. In the living room, everyone was hanging up decorations and balloons as they scrambled last minute to set up Valerie's birthday surprise.

Of course the one time they wanted to do it outside at the lake house it rained, so now they were getting creative. Clint was using a slingshot with tacks to help hang the streams while Peter used a brand new web formula to hang balloons. Stephen and Cassie were putting the finishing touches on the cake for Valerie, which was her favorite chocolate with cream cheese frosting and extra, _extra_ sprinkles. 

"For once Harley, do you have your potato gun ready?" Tony asked as he watched his eldest loading confetti and tiny streamers into the dreaded device. 

"Almost! Just a few more seconds, okay?" Harley beamed as he was about to put in the last set of confetti. 

"Dia, can you go check on Val and see how much longer we have?" Cassie asked, wiping some frosting off her face. 

"On it!!" Diana smiled as she ran upstairs and up to Valerie's room. She knocked softly before opening the door a crack. "Val? Whatcha doing?" She walked over and saw her sister focused completely on drawing her picture. 

"Coloring." Valerie replied softly as she switched crayons. "Wanna see?"

The older girl walked over and looked over her sister's shoulder smiling. It was a picture of everyone on the team with the Stark-Strange family in the very front. 

"I think it's really pretty." She said softly. 

"It no done yet." Valerie explained.

Diana walked back out when Valerie resumed coloring and down the stairs, running over to Tony. "She's still coloring, so a while Daddy."

"Thank you _piccola_. Can you help Mommy set up all the presents?"

"Uh huh!"

The girl ran to help the sorcerer pulling presents out of a pocket dimension and stacked them up by the couch. After the last present was set out, everything was ready. Stephen stood up and went up to retrieve the birthday girl. He cracked open the door before smiling as his daughter had just set down her crayons. Valerie gets up with the picture and turns, smiling as she runs over to Stephen. 

"Mama! Look at my picture!" The girl held up the finished drawing.

The man smiled as he took it carefully, looking at all the hard work she poured into it. He set it on her bed before carding trembling fingers through her hair. 

"I think it's beautiful Val...but now I have a surprise for you." Stephen took her hand and started to lead her out of the room. "Close your eyes okay? I'll help you down the stairs."

Valerie nodded and closed her eyes when they exited the bedroom. The sorcerer guided her carefully down the stairs and to the dining room where the cake was set up. Tony lit the candles silently and everyone stood around the cake. 

"OK. You can open them now." Steohen told her softly. 

Valerie opened her eyes and looked up with a wide smile at the cake and all of her family. Everyone started singing a very soft "Happy Birthday" to the young girl. Tony picked her up and carried her over just in time to blow out the candles. 

"Happy birthday _topolina_." Tony smiled as Cassie began cutting the cake. 

Valerie got the first slice and once everyone had a piece, they all sat at the table to eat it. Once everyone was finished, the festivity moved to the living room. The birthday girl sat on the couch and each person brought up their gift to Valerie, saying a soft "thank you" each time. 

Every gift the girl was given she already cherished and loved. After the last present was opened, which was a simple golden necklace with a single round cut alexandrite stone on it, she looked up and thanked everyone again. As everyone stood, getting up to move outside now that the rain had stopped, Valerie had a perplexed look on her face. There had to be a better way to thank everyone for their gifts than just with words. 

Tony saw the look on his daughter's face, kneeling down to her height. "What's wrong Val?"

"Everyone gave me presents... but I no have anything to give them." Valerie answered softly with her adorable concentrated look. 

"You thanked them. I'm sure everyone is just happy that you are happy and loved your gifts." The man explained as he pushed her hair back. 

Then an idea came to Valerie and smiled widely as she ran back upstairs to her room. She grabbed her drawing before running back down to Tony. The girl held it up to her father, who took it gently. 

"Can you help me make enough for everyone Daddy?" Valerie asked politely. 

The billionaire smiled widely before nodding and leading his daughter to his home office. He set it on the holodesk. 

"Friday. I need you to copy this masterpiece." He told the AI. "One for everyone at the party okay?"

"Yes, Boss." Friday replied as she made the copies. 

"Thank you Friday." Valerie thanked the AI. 

"You are most welcome Valerie."

Once all the copies were made, Tony helped the girl carry them out to the backyard. He had Quill call everyone over. 

"Hey! Val needs our attention guys!" Quill called out. 

Soon enough, the entire team stood before Tony and Valerie. The girl looked down nervously, not knowing if everyone would like the drawing. 

"Um...thank you all for my presents." Valerie repeated. " I felt bad no one else got anything....Daddy help me make copies of a picture I drew."

Valerie handed the very first picture to Stephen, who took it with a smile before he kissed the top of her head. Tony followed Valerie as she handed everyone a copy of the picture. Each Avenger thanked her for their present. Even Loki and Thor got one each, even though they had just arrived.

"Thank you little Valkyrie. I shall hang this in my room with all my other artwork." Loki told the child. 

"Really?" Valerie smiled. 

"Yes...though I believe I never gave you my gift." The Asgardian circled her head with his hand, making a simple silver circlet appear on her head. "There we are." 

"Thank you Uncle Loki." Valerie smiled brightly up at the raven haired sorcerer before running off to show Stephen her latest gift.

The rest of the day was spent playing outside as Clint cooked everyone hotdogs and hamburgers. After everyone had eaten their fill, William, Wanda, Loki, and Stephen preformed a small magic show at Valerie's request. The showed ended with Harley firing his potato gun full of confetti over everyone. By the time the show was over, all the younger children were starting to rub their eyes. Scott took the twins up to their room to lie down as Tony guided Diana up to bed. 

Valerie held Stephen's hand as he helped her up to bed. Once she had brushed her teeth and changed into her pajamas, the sorcerer tucked her into bed. The girl pulled her newest stuff animal, a super soft Siamese cat plush she named Mewy, close. 

"Did you have a good birthday cub?" Stephen asked softly. 

"Yes Mama." Valerie smiled sleepily. "I love you Mama."

Stephen smiled as he leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I love you too cub. Good night." 

The sorcerer stood up and turned off the lamp on her bedside table. The room filled with soft colors from the galaxy sphere Quill had made as a nightlight for Valerie. Soon enough the now four year old was fast asleep, happy she had a loving family that made her birthday better and better every year.


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: "I may have mildly panicked."
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

Stephen didn’t know what he’d expected when he came up to the family floor. 

It was Dia’s first proper birthday after the un-snap, the first time they’d all felt up to throwing an actual birthday party for her friends to attend. So for once, he had given the teens permission to go wild on decorations.

His expectations for what he would find when reaching their family floor with a group of elementary schoolers in tow, was an extravaganza of color, balloons, and - dear god - glitter.

Yet when the doors slid open, the teens were standing off to the side, laughing their asses off, and the floor wasn’t covered in decorations at all.

Sure, they’d done their part; there were balloons in Dia’s favourite colours, as expected, yet there were only a normal amount of them. The banners, portraying Dia’s favourite Disney princesses, were tasteful and properly hung. 

Streamers covered the floor and ceiling, for which Stephen had given the okay, and the little goody bags were displayed perfectly on the coffee table.

What didn’t belong, however, was the dining table. 

Yes, if Stephen squinted he could see plates and some cutlery sticking out, indicating that the teens had indeed set it like he’d asked, except it was all covered in platters of cake, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, pudding cups, and candies in all colours and shapes. 

“Tony?” Stephen asked as the kids behind him ushered out of the elevator, ready to start the party. Dia was already leading them over to her favorite toys. Tony stood behind the table, hiding his sheepish smile behind faked indifference. “What happened?”

“Right,” Tony shrugged, indicating the mess with his hands, “I may have slightly panicked.”

“How does you panicking lead to a mountain of sweets?”

“Don’t forget the bowl of fruit you demanded!”

“Ah yes, of course, silly me. I just wish I could find it within the mountain of sugar!”

“Well Bucky and Steve are out so I put in an order for cake as you’d asked but…“ Tony grimaced now, scratching behind his ear. “I may have overestimated how much we would need…”

Sighing, Stephen rolled his eyes. He wasn’t even surprised anymore. But, today he couldn’t care, so he just stepped up next to Tony and wrapped his arm around his waist. The engineer hesitantly wrapped his arm around Stephen’s shoulder, wanting to pull him closer yet clearly suspicious of Stephen’s calm. 

Stephen ignored it, only turning to face Dia and her friends. 

“She’s getting so old,” he sighed, leaning his head on Tony’s shoulder.

Chuckling, Tony pressed a kiss against his crown. “If seven’s old, you must find me ancient.”

Stephen rolled his eyes, but was quickly distracted by the elevator opening. He was already reaching out before Quill had stepped foot on the floor, eagerly accepting his youngest daughter onto his hip.

“What happened here?” Cassie asked as she stepped up next to Quill, looking over the table with an impressed eyebrow raise. “Should I book a family dental appointment?”

“Don’t worry,” Stephen smirked, tucking Valerie’s hair behind her ear, “we’re donating the leftover sweets to a shelter.”

“Damn,” Thomas cursed in the background, both him and Peter were already munching on a brownie and staring at the rest wistfully.

Stephen would probably have to stop both of them from working themselves into a sugar coma.


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “Buy my silence with cupcakes.”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot 
> 
> Full dialogue in italics is spoken in Italian.

“Stop staring.” 

Harley almost fell backward off his stool as his brother’s voice cut through the air. It shouldn’t have surprised him, yet the words had still caught him off guard. 

He righted himself on his stool at the kitchen island, glaring as he turned to face Peter. His ears burned with a familiar flush, but he hid it by picking up his fork again and taking another bite of the pie. 

They hadn’t bothered with plates, picking pieces out of the pan instead, uncaring about Mom’s future scolding. 

“I wasn’t staring,” he defended, faking nonchalance as he focussed on chewing. 

“You almost fell, leaning back so far to get a glance of the living room couch. Don’t even lie about it.” 

“ _Can you shut up about him_ ,” Harley bit at Peter, switching to Italian. “ _He’s right there._ ”

“Why?” Peter frowned. Harley squinted as he refused to follow his lead, continuing in English in mock-confusion.

For someone known as being kind and helpful and lovable, no one talked about how much of a shit he could be. Sure, he only seemed to be a shit to _him_ , but that didn’t make it any less unfair. “I thought you weren’t staring? So why would it matter if he heard us?”

Harley glared, his hand clutching around his fork as he could feel his neck and ears heating up. “I swear to god, if you don’t shut up I’ll make you regret it.“

“Tempting,” Peter grinned, “I hope you were more charming on your date.”

“It wasn’t a date!” Harley let out, quickly lowering his voice as he’d forgotten to speak Italian in his incredulity. He switched back to Italian as he continued. “ _Please shut up_!”

“Buy my silence with cupcakes.”

“Where the fuck am I supposed to find cupcakes? We’re already eating pie!”

“Figure it out, loverboy.”

Harley huffed, raised his eyes to the heavens in a quick prayer, and turned back to his brother. “Find. I’ll pay later, now can you please shut up! It _wasn’t_ a date!”

Peter, either pleased with his promise of payment or. Just taking pity on him, switched to Italian as requested. “ _You went for ice cream and a walk through the park_.”

“ _So?!_ ”

“ _You held hands!_ ”

“ _That doesn’t mean anything_!”

“ _Right, Cassie and I hold hands because we’re just such great friends_.” 

Harley rolled his eyes at Peter and groaned. _Bastard_. “ _It’s different_.”

“ _Fine, because Dad and uncle Rhodey hold hands all the time_.” Peter corrected. He was full-on grinning now, the hair that curled around his ears and the glint in his eyes making him look like an impish devil. 

“ _Oh shut up_ ,” Harley told Peter, but there wasn’t any bite behind it as he was trying to hide his blush. He wouldn’t allow himself to hope. 

It _was_ different, okay? _William_ was different. Just because they had a… _special_ relationship that differed from his relationship with others, didn’t mean it was _romantic_. Or at least that _William_ saw it as such. 

Just because all Harley wanted to do was make him happy didn’t mean he had _feelings_ for him either. Okay, yes it did. No use hiding it from himself because he’d already come to terms with it. 

But it didn’t mean that Harley demanded William return those feelings. 

“ _Seriously, though_ ,” Peter continued, cutting through Harley’s thoughts, “ _you’re both so obvious it’s painful to watch_.”

“ _I’m not obvious! I’m a master deceiver._ ”

Peter raised a disbelieving eyebrow - he had to have learned it from Stephen.

“Wait… _both_?”

Before Peter could roll his eyes at him and call him a moron, the familiar sound of sparks forming a portal and Valerie being handed over to their mother filtered through from the living room.

Both teens cursed, Harley grabbing both forks and throwing them in the dishwasher as Peter quickly put the pie back in the fridge before Stephen could walk in.

“ _Don’t forget my cupcakes_ ,” Peter whispered to him before he turned towards Stephen with a smile and welcomed him back home. Harley sulked in the background, refusing to look at William, as he tried to figure out where to find cupcakes on a Sunday evening.

He really, didn’t want to hunt down cupcakes right now, his mood completely ruined as the beginnings of treacherous hope bloomed in his chest. He didn’t want to expect anything, didn’t want to hope for something only to be lead down in the end.

Lowered expectations had been what had led to one of the best afternoons ever, while hope only breeds disappointment.

Either way, he wanted to get it over and done with, wanted to pay Peter back before he accumulated an ongoing debt.

And luckily, he had an idea of where to find the payment.

He took the few floors down, stepping out onto the Lange’s floor as he only rarely did. 

As he’d assumed, Cassie and Dia were standing in the kitchen, both wearing an apron, even though Dia was still covered in flower. A tray of cupcakes was already cooling off on the counter, both girls working on preparing the decorations. 

He grinned as he stepped up to them, Cassie’s eyes quickly squinting in suspicion as she noticed him. “Hi.”

“What do you want?” Cassie asked.

“No need to be so distrustful,” Harley answered with his sweetest smile, “I’m just here to talk to my sister.”

Dia looked up at that. It was kind of disconcerting how much the squint of her eyes looked like the perfect combination between Stephen and Cassie’s. “Why?”

“Oh, I just need some cupcakes.”

“No! These are for my teachers at Kamar Taj!”

“Come on, Diana, please!” Harley tried again, though he knew his puppy eyes were basically nonexistent, always clouded over by the tilt of his lips - over which he had no control.

“No!”

A different approach, then.

“Really? Because it would be a shame if mom finds out you portal your vegetables into the trash when he’s not here and dad isn’t looking.”

“You wouldn’t!” Dia pouted, crossing her arms over her chest, the movement causing red paste to splash over her tiny bicep. 

Harley smirked, knowing he’d gotten her attention. “Or that you sneak candies onto FRIDAY’s shopping lists.”

Dia glared, and Harley’s eyes shifted to Cassie, but she was staying out of it, figuring this was between them. She did send him an exasperated look, though, but Harley could deal with that.

“Or that you purposefully spilled cherry juice onto the dress Steve bought you…. I can go on,” Harley leaned onto the counter, watching as Dia’s lip began to tremble without falling for it.

“Or you can buy my silence with cupcakes,” he parroted Peter.

Dia dropped her arms and rolled her eyes, dropping her sad act as she huffed. “Fine.”

Harley grinned victoriously, leaning further over the counter to ruffle her hair. “Thanks, Beelzebub! Don’t forget to blame Peter for this.”


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me, he-”  
> “Absolutely adores and would die for you.”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

“He loves me… he loves me not…,” Dia mutters under her breath irritably, picking off one petal after another as she continues her chant. She knows it’s going to land on ‘loves me not’ again, she can count that far. There are only three petals left to pick, after all.

Still, she wills her calculations to be wrong as she continues anyway.

Okay, so maybe she shouldn’t have pushed Charlie off the swing yesterday. He’d _definitely_ deserved it for calling Clara ugly and saying she had cooties, but she shouldn’t have done it. Mommy and daddy always teach her to use her words. 

Then again, it's often easier to shut Harley up with violence - but perhaps that is a ‘special case’ as daddy sometimes referred to it. 

Mommy had forgiven her for hurting Charlie, though. So why is he angry with her?

Okay, she _definitely_ isn’t supposed to use magic at school - and using it to freeze Sierra in place for an hour is _definitely_ on the no-no list. But Sierra just wouldn’t shut up. She'd kept bragging about this and that and saying how much _better_ she is than anyone. 

Diana is amazing too, but you don’t hear her talking about it, do you?

So, maybe mommy is right for being angry at her for breaking her promise of not hurting anyone again so quickly after Charlie. Though she would _argue_ \- she isn’t sure what it means but she’d heard Harley use this phrase often - that Sierra hadn’t been hurt at all. She hadn’t felt a thing.

She picks off the last petal, muttering a ‘shit’ under her breath as it lands on ’loves me not’ as she’d expected. No one is around to hear her curse, so she figures it's fine to do so. She summons a new flower before the petal has even dropped onto the heap in her lap, tossing the empty stem towards the others as she starts anew.

“He loves me… he loves me not…”

She isn’t sure what kind of magic the flower has. Her friends at school used it to see if the boys like them, but that seems like a waste of time to Dia. Besides, they don’t even have magic - at least not as far as Dia could sense.

“He loves me… he loves me not…”

She’d been certain it wasn’t magic, yet it had landed on ‘loves me not’ each and every time. That had to be a stat.. a _statistical_ anomelie- _anomaly_. She's pretty sure she's using that correctly. So it seems to her the flower must be correct, that it has some hidden magic that Dia is still too young to understand.

 _Stupid flower_.

Using her magic, pushing Charlie off the swing, yelling at Peter, eating ice cream before dinner… it’s no reason to not love your child anymore, Dia thinks. 

Nevertheless, tears of frustration are starting to well up in the corners of her eyes as she counts ahead again ‘yes no yes no yes no yes NO’. 

Ugh, it’s _useless_. Yet, she dutifully continues, too afraid of the flower’s magic to stop.

“He loves me… he loves me not…”

“He absolutely adores you.”

Dia jumps as she turns around to face her door. Mom is standing in the doorway, smiling at her. 

He shouldn’t. He shouldn’t smile at her when she’s being punished. Shouldn’t smile at her when he doesn’t love her anymore. She feels her lip begin to tremble and Mommy immediately steps forward, sitting down on the bed next to her and pulling her into a hug.

“Of course, I still love you,” Stephen mutters against her crown, rubbing a comforting hand along her back.

Mom gives the best hugs, Dia thinks, though she feels a little guilty enjoying it when she’s been bad. 

“Dia,” Stephen eventually says, voice serious as he pulls back to look into her eyes. Dia doesn’t want to meet his, but he tilts her chin up so she doesn’t have a choice. “How often do I need to punish Harley?”

Dia frowns, confused as to why this question is rel- _relevant_. “A lot.”

Stephen nods in agreement, and Dia is glad she got the right answer.

“And Thomas? Even Peter?” Stephen continues, though he doesn’t wait for Dia to answer this time, “Do I love them any less?”

“Well… Harley..,” Stephen sends her a look and she huffs. “Fine. No, you don’t.”

Stephen smiles, reaching out to run a hand through her hair. “Just because you were bad doesn’t mean I don’t love you anymore. Okay? I love you, cub.”

Dia feels her lip start to tremble again as she nods, happily accepting another hug from her mom.


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “These people are my family, and if you hurt them in any way – I will kill you.”
> 
> By: SiriuslyCloudy

William glares down at his phone. All day he and Harley have been texting back and forth, sending stupid memes and pictures of random things. It had been 15 minutes since the last message he sent and so far he could tell that Harry had seen it but was not responding. He was starting to get worried that he was bothering Harley. 

He looks back up at the TV screen where he and Thomas were watching a movie but he couldn't focus. He glances back down at his phone and sees the dots that indicate Harley was typing. He smiles softly because maybe Harley wasn’t sick of him after all. When the message comes through through it doesn’t make sense. “Herdlpd”, what the?? 

“Hey, look at this weird message Harley sent me?” Thomas looks over at his brother phone and a tremor of unease goes through him.   
“That’s not normal.” 

The twins look at each other and both are fearful for the others in the lab. They aren’t sure why because nothing seems out of the ordinary but something is wrong and they can sense it. 

“Friday, can you see what is going on in the lab?” William asks the AI quietly.   
“Here is a feed of the lab currently.” 

A video appears on the screen and both boys can tell something is wrong. Harley and Peter are standing in front of Tony who is holding the girls behind his back. They are all staring angrily and scared at the front of the room. Where a man is visible in a Stark Industries lab coat, pointing a gun at the family. 

“No!” The twins shout and jump to their feet.   
“We have to do something. If you can portal us in, I can run out before he sees me and you can get his attention. You’ll have to make sure to shield yourself just in case but once you have his attention I can get a repulsor to Tony and Peter's web shooter to him and they can take him down.”   
“I don’t know if I can make a shield. I’ve learned how to do it but I haven’t been able to actually do it.”   
“Can you try? And I’ll try to get Tony’s repulsor to him as quickly as I can.”  
“I’ve got to try. I won’t let anything happen to him. To them.” He corrects with a blush.   
“Oh shut up, we all know that you have a crush on Harley.”   
“I do not!”   
“You totally do. But we don’t have time for this right now. Now let’s go.”

William nods and prepares himself. He opens a portal and barely glimpses Thomas running through before he works on building a shield. 

“These people are my family, and if you hurt them in any way – I will kill you.”  
The man in the lab coat turns and he sees that it is an intern that was working with Tony on a few projects. “No you won’t. Because I’m going to kill Tony Stark before any of you brats can do a thing.”   
“Yeah, I don’t think so.” William hears distantly. 

He’s never had a gun pointed at him before and he is terrified. But he manages to build a pretty decent shield before he hears a ‘thwip’ and a gunshot. The bullet ricochet's harmlessly off his shield and falls to the ground. He looks up at the man that was threatening him and his family and he is wrapped up like a spider snack, hanging from the ceiling. He drops his shield and grunts when he is nearly tackled to the ground. He wraps his arms around Harley as tightly as he can, his heart is still pounding but at least now he knows everyone is safe.

After a few beats he loosens his hold on Harley and looks up at him. Harley is staring down at him intensely. His eyes flick to the other boys lips, and he knows he wants to kiss him. As he starts to lean up on tiptoes to do so, he feels another presence at his back and suddenly he is in a giant group hug from Tony, Harley, Peter, the girls, and Thomas.

Once they all separate, Tony pulls the twins to him. “Kids. That was insanely stupid. And also insanely brave. Thank you for doing that but please never do that again. I thought I was going to have another heart attack when he shot at you William.” 

Tony pulls the two into another bruising hug before moving away to deal with the intern. The kids move off to the side and begin checking everyone over and recounting what happened. Peter and Thomas are talking while Dia is trying to keep Valerie calm. Harley and William are standing side by side. Arms brushing before Harley reaches out and grabs Williams hand, intertwining their fingers. 

William has never been so scared as he was staring at that gun, but now, he thinks he would do it 100 times more just to save his family.


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “Do you want a bedtime story?”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

He wasn’t sure how he’d become Val’s best friend - or well, he knew how it had happened - he just still couldn’t believe he’d ended up here. How had he become one of the few trusted enough to take care of the baby of the family? 

He didn’t mind of course. He liked hanging out with Val. She was quiet and gentle and taking care of her was really soothing.  
Val also liked to cling, which was doing wonders for William’s touch deficiency. 

She was hanging onto him now, pout on her face as she dug her fingers into his shirt and buried her face into his shoulder. 

“Sorry, I’m late, Val.” William mumbled to her, wrapping his arms more firmly around her. 

He didn’t mention that if he’d known Stephen would have to spend the night away, he would have made sure to reschedule the meeting with his project partner. 

As it was, it was almost nine, Val refusing to go to sleep unless he - or usually Stephen - put her to bed.

“You could have called me,” he quietly told Tony, who smiled and waved him off. 

“Staying up an extra hour won’t kill her,” he shrugged, clearly tired with his head draped over the back of the couch. “Maybe then she’ll wake up later too.”

William smiled. “I won’t count on it.”

Tony sighed loudly, rubbing his eyes. 

“I know,” he groaned as he pulled himself off the sofa, ruffling William’s hair and pressing a kiss to Val’s head on his way by. “Better go to bed early; I’m exhausted. Yell if you need something, though.”

“Good night.” William said as he moved with Val to her room next to her parents’.

Dia was already there, reading a book in her bed. It was passed her bedtime too by now, but she never went to sleep before Val.  
It was for the best, as they’d probably end up waking her anyway.

Val was already prepped for bed, so William just tucked her in and sat down next to her. “Do you want a bedtime story?”

It was a rhetorical question, as the answer was the same every night, but William smiled as Val still nodded her head enthusiastically.

“You want to listen too?” He asked as he turned towards Dia, who was watching them curiously, book already halfway closed. She nodded and closed the book after dog-earing a page. 

William motioned for her to come over and she smiled before jumping out of bed, sitting down next to William. He put an arm around Dia, and she pulled her feet onto the bed as well. 

He started his story, and continued solely for Dia after the four-year-old had fallen asleep, clutching Mooey against her chest.

“There you are.”

William looked up at the familiar voice, finding Harley standing in the doorway smiling down at him. 

Shushing Harley, he tried to look stern, but failed miserably. He hadn’t seen Harley all day, and being around him now felt like every muscle in his body finally relaxed. Harley stepped closer, picked up Dia who’d fallen asleep against William’s side and dropped her in her own bed. He was sure to tuck her in and press a kiss against her forehead, which William knew he would refuse to admit to if she were awake.

William waited at the door, switching off the lights once Harley joined him.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Harley was pulling William into a hug. William sighed at the contact, feeling like he’d just gotten home from spending five months in the desert.

Harley’s arms were firm around him. William held on just as tightly and, once again, he wondered how he’d gotten so lucky.


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “Hey, you passed out, stay laying down for a bit longer.”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

“So how was your test today?” Wanda asked as Thomas flopped down on the couch next to her. “As bad as you’d feared?”

“I’m not sure,” Thomas groaned, clearly exhausted. Wanda suspected he’d stayed up all night studying despite her advice to get plenty of rest. She wasn’t sure where the sudden interest in school had come from, as he’d barely cared enough to pass his classes when he’d first arrived at the tower. “I’m quite certain I passed, though.”

A few weeks ago he would have been happy with passing, not worrying about the actual grade. Now, she walked past his bedroom in the late evening to find him still behind his desk, glaring at the pages as he worked. 

But, even though he was more proactive in his schoolwork, aiming for higher grades and finishing his work on time, he was still a horrible procrastinator. He’d left all his study work for the day prior whereas William had started early on and had been able to go to bed at a decent hour the night before. 

It was an improvement, sure, but that didn’t mean it was healthy. Stephen definitely wouldn’t approve, and Wanda suspected he’d figure it out as soon as he’d lay eyes on him at the dinner table. 

“That’s good,” Wanda smiled, putting her laptop aside. “Have you eaten anything? Want some fruit? I could make those tarts you liked?”

“Yes! Thank you!” Wanda smiled at how eager Thomas already was; he was just like Peter when it came to food. “I haven’t eaten all day.”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” Wanda teased as she got up from the couch. Thomas followed her into the kitchen, and she made a b-line for the fridge to grab the ingredients she needed. “Mama Bear will have your head.”

“I’m fine! I’m eating something now, aren’t I?” Thomas replied with a smug grin as he snatched one of the strawberries Wanda needed from the bowl and plopped it in his mouth.

Wanda rolled her eyes, before glancing over the ingredients on the counter and running down a mental list.

Wanda cursed in Sakovian, before turning her focus on FRIDAY. “FRIDAY, do any of the others have any pudding left? Preferably the boxed kind.”

She waited for FRIDAY to answer negatively, before turning to Thomas. “I’ll have to go down to the store, then.”

“Don’t worry! I’ll do it!” Thomas offered at once, already getting up from his chair. The teen was always so eager to move. It was bittersweet; endearing, yes, but it reminded her of Pietro, and though the memories were pleasant, it still hurt to relive them. 

“That’s very sweet, Thomas, but you haven’t -,” Before Wanda could finish her sentence, Thomas had already left, leaving but a small breeze in his wake. “Eaten.”

Wanda sighed, shaking her head in exasperation, but focussed her worry on starting on the dough. It used to drive her mad when Pietro left without letting her finish, making her feel like he was too eager to leave her side. Now, she recognized it was probably part of being a runner; the world too slow to wait around for. 

It didn’t take long at all for Thomas to be back, plopping a box of pudding down on the counter.

Wanda wanted to express her gratitude, but her ‘thank you’ died in her throat when she noticed Thomas breathing heavily.

A simple run down to the store wouldn’t be enough to exhaust the teen. 

She was immediately put on alert, frowning at him as she started around the counter. “Thomas? Are you okay?”

His responding nod was weak, and now Wanda could get a closer look, he did look pale and clammy. That was _definitely_ unusual for him. She put a hand on his shoulder, starting to gently guide him towards the kitchen table.

“Why don’t you sit down? Eat some more strawberries?”

He nodded again, but before they’d made it to the chairs, Thomas collapsed. Wanda reacted quickly, snapping her fingers and using her magic to slow his way down to the ground.

She eased him down gently, resting him on the floor as careful as she could. She took off her sweater next, bunching it up and placing it under Thomas’ head as a pillow. 

As expected, she didn’t even have to call out to FRIDAY to contact the others, as a portal opened up almost instantaneously. Stephen stepped out, dropping down opposite her as he asked what happened.

“He ran off but hasn’t eaten since last night’s dinner. Probably hasn’t slept well either as he was studying all night.” As expected, Stephen’s face hardened with worry, the special way it did when the kids were being their own cause of harm. 

Before Stephen could say anything, though, Thomas groaned underneath them. He came to slowly, his eyes squinting against the light as he immediately tried to sit up. 

Wanda carded her hand through his hair, keeping him down as he protested. “Hey, you passed out. Stay laying down a bit longer.”

He nodded as if even the small amount of movement had exhausted him again.

“He’ll be fine,” Stephen sighed, “let’s just get him to the Medbay. We'll check him out and get some food in him. Then he should be okay to sleep it off.”

Wanda nodded and used her magic to lift him as Stephen created another portal.


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “Why are you doing this? Why would you-”  
> “Because I love you. And I’d do anything to protect you.”
> 
> By: ZoxiQ

William's eyes slowly fluttered open as he tried to sit up but couldn't because his limbs felt like lead. Brown eyes surveyed his surroundings, the white walls of the medbay not what he was expecting. His brows knit together as his eyes landed on a figure sitting in the corner. A question began to plague his mind as he tried to sit up, groaning in pain before lying back down. 

The figure in the corner jerked their head up at the sound of pain leaving the teen. In a few steps, Harley stepped into the light with a worried frown plastered across his lips. 

"Isn't that my job?" William tried to joke with a chuckle, clutching his side as pain shot through him. "Ow..." 

"Why would you do that?" Harley asked lowly.

William was confused once more. Just what exactly had he done to end up here? Apparently something stupid enough to warrant even Harley being upset with him. But he still couldn't figure it out. 

"I...i don't remember." He muttered softly as he fidgeted slightly with a thread on the blanket covering his lap. 

Harley sighed as he took the seat beside William's bed, his elbows resting on his knees as he held his head in his hands. Maybe this is why Tony was so grey...

"You gave me a few more grey hair and a near heart attack. " Harley explained as he looked up into William's confused expression, sighing again. 

This would be harder than he thought. 

The older teen took a deep breath, gathering his composure before speaking. "Some fucking idiot at school... they brought a gun and just started shooting while we were in the hall. I don't even know if it was a student or just some other psycho... but they were down the hall with our lockers." 

William's eyes went wide as he listened intently. He already didn't like where this was going.

"He shot the ceiling first and most everyone scattered except us because... well we're used to it. So I was started to activate my armor to protect myself when he aimed at us... but you..." Harley gripped his pants tightly as rage filled his eyes. "You stood between us as he shot. No magic. Just your fucking body! What were you thinking William?!" 

Harley shot out of his chair, pacing the room in a frantic matter as he tried to calm himself. He didn't blame William.

"I... was shot?" William asked softly, diverting his eyes.

"Shot?! Try shots! Five times! And you.. you..." Harleys eyes filled with tears as images of the younger teen's bloody body lying on the floor filled his vision. "You landed and weren't moving and... fuck I thought i lost you William! Why would you do something like that?!"

William kept his gaze low and muttered his reply, his cheeks tinging a slight shade of pink. Harley just raised a brow, sighing as he took a seat beside the teen's bed again. He reached over and gripped William's hand gently. The younger teen blushed more as he gently flexed his hand. 

"Because I... I love you." William repeated softly. "And I'd do anything to protect you... even if it's stupid." 

Harley chuckled, leaning over to kiss Williams cheeks and laughing softly at how red the younger teen's face had gotten. 

"I love you too, but for the love of everything, leave the stupid decisions for me." Harley half begged jokingly. 

"After this? You can have them."


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “Hey, you know you don’t have to do this alone, right? Not anymore.”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

Stephen frowned when he found Tony’s lab empty. He hadn’t seen the engineer on the family floor either, which was strange.

It was too late for him to be at a meeting, too early for him to be in bed already.

Now he thought about it, he hadn’t seen Tony around as much the last few days. Usually, that wouldn’t be weird exactly - hiding away in the lab, training, at missions,… - but now wasn’t really a usual time. And physical activity was still not an option for the hero. 

For Stephen, it only felt like a few weeks since everything had been normal. But a few weeks ago, Dia had been but a baby.

They’d been returned, and ever since then, Tony usually stuck by their sides as often as possible. Stephen figured he could be with either one of the teens…

“FRIDAY, where is Tony?” Stephen asked the AI as he headed back for the elevator.

“He’s in his office, dr. Strange, on the family floor.” 

Stephen frowned as the elevator went up. Only rarely did Tony work from his home office, the space basically for decorum as Tony preferred the couch or kitchen. 

When Stephen reached the family floor, Dia was still sitting at the coffee table. She was drawing, as usual, television on as she glanced at it every so often.

Stephen walked up to her, carding a trembling hand through her hair. She looked up and smiled at him, and Stephen pushed down the shift of pain inside of him as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head. 

“Isn’t it past your bedtime, cub?”

She nodded, holding out her hands so Stephen could pick her up. “Daddy hasn’t come out of his office yet.”

Dia pushed herself up from the floor and wrapped her legs around his waist quickly, taking the strain off his hands immediately. Stephen held on tighter, touched by how quickly she had adapted to his physical limits. 

“Okay if I put you to bed?” Dia nodded, leaning her head on his shoulder. She yawned, making Stephen chuckle as he went to tuck her into bed.

When he came back into the living room, Dia already fast asleep, he found it still empty, the door to Tony’s office still closed.

Confused and slightly worried, Stephen knocked before entering. Tony looked up in surprise at Stephen’s entrance, but it easily turned into a tired smile.

“Hey, I just need a few minutes, and then I’ll have to put Dia to bed.”

“She’s already asleep,” Stephen reassured him as he walked up to Tony’s chair and placed his hands on his shoulders. He was careful of his bad arm and the still-healing scars as he leaned down to kiss Tony’s cheek.

“She is?” Tony frowned, checking his watch. “Shit, it’s later than I thought.”

“Sorry,” he groaned, leaning his head back against Stephen’s stomach.

“What are you sorry for?” It was Stephen’s turn to frown, carding a hand through Tony’s hair as he’d done with Dia earlier. 

“I was working on Dia’s school arrangements and trying to sign her up to her art classes - which is a nightmare by the way - and Peter and Harley’s schools are still figuring everything out since the -,”

“Hey,” Stephen soothed him, continuing his ministrations on Tony’s hair. “I can help. You don’t have to do this alone.”

Stephen swallowed before continuing, wrapping his arms around Tony’s neck in comfort. “Not anymore.”

Tony nodded and sighed. Stephen could feel him fighting back tears, making him hold on tighter. 

He was eventually pushed back by Tony, though, but only so he could spin around in his chair and pull Stephen into his lap, kissing him deeply.


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “I’ve got you. It’ll be okay.”
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

It wasn’t often William dreamed.

He was too light a sleeper, too used to sleeping around strangers he didn’t trust.

Even after months at the tower, in the most comfortable bed he’d ever slept in - massive, but seemingly small in the room he got to call his own - he still rarely slept deep enough to dream.

Or maybe he just couldn’t remember his dreams; however that worked. He knew he’d read once, that everyone dreams every night, and that it’s just a case of whether or not you could recall them.

If that were true, then William never remembered.

It was for the best.

Perhaps his inexperience with dreams was why it felt so real to him now; why the thought of it being a dream didn’t even occur.

It should have.

The dream had started too good to be true, which William, in his experience, should have found suspicious.

Yet, William wanted it to be real, so he let it be. 

It started off so simple, it could have been any other day.

Or at least any other day since coming to the tower.

He was in the living room, doing something he couldn’t recall as the past became a blur almost instantaneously as if his short-term memory didn’t work.

Yet he did remember Harley coming in as he always did - devilish smile and eyes like a brewing storm, carrying with him a charge of electricity, the air crackling with every glance, every word, every touch. 

Harley leaned down to kiss him as he approached, and William returned it like it was natural - a habit - held onto the kiss as if he deserved it.

It wasn’t. He didn’t. Yet, this version of him didn’t seem to realize that.

He didn’t remember how that had transitioned into his bedroom at one of his old foster homes - one of the worst ones. He couldn’t say whether it had gone straight from Harley’s smile to the snarl of his foster parent or if there had been a gradual change from great to terrible that had been lost to his memories.

But he was there. 

The horrible brown of the cracked wallpaper, the claustrophobia from the bunk beds shoved into the tiny room, … - even the faces of the other children as they cowered away under the blankets, or peaked in from the hallway; glad to see someone punished that wasn’t them. 

They didn’t need to fear it here, though, most kids would soon learn, as the attention all but went to William.

To some, the home might have been one of the better places. The ‘parents’ let them be as long as they didn’t bother them in turn and the government checks kept coming in. 

To William, it was hell.

Because it seemed like William’s mere existence counted as a ‘bother’ to them. 

William wasn’t stupid. As much as Thomas had tried to shield him from it, he knew he was a ‘difficult’ placement. Thomas might be labeled a ‘though case’, a ‘runaway’ or ‘delinquent’, but William didn’t need a label to be seen as different. 

He’d long since learned to be at peace with that. 

Yes, it sucked to be bullied, looked down upon, degraded, …but he wasn’t alone. There had been others on the streets that had been just like him.   
And with literally nothing to lose, he’d realized he still had a brother who loved him unconditionally and his pride.

And now a whole family where acceptance wasn’t even a question.

Yet, standing in this room, the face he’d tried to forget for so long in front of him, made him feel like he was twelve years old again. Once again he was a kid, just trying to survive and figure himself out.

There was so much William had seen by now - pain, destruction, the literal end of the world… yet this was what he dreamt of.

He flinched as Gabe’s mouth moved, and even though no noise seemed to filter through, William knew he was yelling. It was clear from the way his face distorted, the harsh movements of his mouth forming angry lines all over his face. 

William had gotten pretty good at figuring out micro-expressions, finding the tiniest signs of anger - annoyance, distaste, hatred - quickly so he could undo the damage, become more obedient.

But if micro-expressions were a whisper, this was Times Square at New Year's Eve. He didn't need to try to receive the message loud and clear, knew he was way past adapting. He had missed his window to run and hide, so all that was left was to take it and hope to survive.

Cowering under his gaze was an instinct William apparently still hadn’t managed to shake, curling into himself as if that would make him a smaller target. 

He didn’t remember anything special from his dream after that, only fear. He remembered the shivering, the pain in his chest, and the tears streaming down his face. He recalled the way self-hatred charged him like an old friend, wrapping him up and clinging on tightly. 

All the while Gabe seemed to be getting bigger and bigger in front of him - either that or he was getting smaller, weaker, more alone.

His fear crescendoed along with it, switching over to panic as he felt himself breathe heavier, his ears ringing as his name was yelled, and finally - William had known it inevitable - the beating started, and - 

He could feel himself wake up, jumped up and thrashed out, could feel the shift from dream to reality like breaking the surface after drowning for an hour. But grasping for air he could still feel hands on him, his name still being called.

Gabe was _here_ , he had to be. Or he was still there, still trapped in that house, the real dream his perfect family.

Yet the voice didn’t sound like Gabe - nor did it feel like it. It felt calming, soothing, and familiar in a good way. The voice was babbling quietly, not yelling, and with every steadying breath, William forced himself to take, the words filtered through his muddled brain.

“It’s okay,” the voice said. Arms wrapped around his shoulder, a touch still so intimately foreign that William allowed himself to relax into it. “I’ve got you. It’ll be okay.”

Breath by breath William regained more of his senses, his fear being soothed as with every second his dream faded into oblivion. His eyes caught the darkness of his tower bedroom, but he was sitting on the floor instead of his bed.

With a spike of his heart rate - for once pleasant instead of in fear - he recognized Harley as the one holding him, soothing him. William blamed the rush of relief and the remnants of fear for him pushing further into Harley's embrace, asking for more than he was allowed by turning his head so he could bury it in Harley’s neck. 

Harley didn’t protest; instead, he wrapped his arms around him more tightly, applying more pressure to ease his nerves. 

The soothing smell of coffee, mixed with a hint of mint, was a blessing to him, keeping him firm and happy in its embrace, almost enough to drag him off to sleep again. 

Yet, the lingering remnants of fear stopped him.   
Forcing himself to pull back, he looked up at Harley, and finally, his senses fully returned to him. 

“How- What are you doing here?” 

Harley chuckled, glancing down at his lap almost bashfully. 

“More like what are _you_ doing here?” He asked in turn. His tone was soft, as talking in hushed voices was the norm in the dark, yet William could still clearly hear the soft teasing in his tone. “You must have teleported here in your sleep as I woke up with you on my floor.”

 _Oh_. Glancing around the room, William indeed noticed clear differences to his room. The rooms at the tower were all pretty similar at the base, and though it was dark, he could see Harley’s sheets looked black instead of white. William didn’t have a carpet like the one they were sitting on, and he only had one bookcase where he could now see the outline of two.

It was William’s turn to look down in embarrassment, glad the dark covered up the flush in his cheeks. His fingers started twitching in his lap. 

Subconscious teleporting wasn’t uncommon for him, as he’d never had anyone teach him how to control his powers. It’s why he was glad he rarely dreamt. 

For all he still remembered of his dream, the strongest memory was wishing to be back with Harley. 

It seemed his brain had complied, though not in the way he’d anticipated. 

“I’m sorry,” William mumbled, shifting away from the boy next to him. “I didn’t know - I’m sorry if I woke you.”

“Hey,” Harley was frowning, William could tell despite the darkness, and he reached out to him, hand hovering over William’s arm. “I don’t mind. You can stay if you want…or we can go to Mom and Dad’s room if you prefer.”

“I don’t want to bother them.”

“You’re not a bother. They won’t mind.”

_I just want to be around you._

“I don’t want to wake anyone else,” William opted again, shaking his head. “I’m fine, really.”

“You can still stay here, then.”

William didn’t know what to answer. He wanted it, yes, but saying it aloud felt forbidden, expressing a want unthinkable. Luckily, his body answered for him, nodding his head almost imperceptibly. 

“Perfect,” Harley stated, the decision final. William didn’t dare hope he heard Harley’s smile in his voice.

They stayed on the ground - the carpet soft and comfortable enough - but Harley did pull his blanket and pillows down. He wrapped his blanket around both of them as he talked, distracting him from his thoughts and forming an escape from his dreams.

His nightmare was quickly fading from his memories, though he held on to the first part, clinging on to the feeling of dream!Harley’s lips on his.


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: Going on a road trip.
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

Thomas gets car sick immediately.

He’s not used to cars. 

His heart is beating like it’s urging to go faster, like the speed of the trees rushing by isn’t _normal_. It feels like he’s running without the physical release it usually brings, and at a much slower pace at that. 

He’s in slow-motion, even though they’re traveling at 65 miles per hour.

On top of that, Thomas _hates_ cramped spaces. Absolutely detests them. 

If not due to the fact he feels like he can’t _move_ , it would be due to the spaces William and Thomas had been forced to call their room in the past, sharing it with at least two more kids at any one time.

Reminded of his brother, Thomas glances over to find him with his eyes closed, face pressed against the cold window. He figures William must be as bad in cars as he is, though he seems to be faring at least a little bit better. William has always been better at gritting his teeth and pushing through bad situations, while Thomas’s veins boil for release. 

He quickly looks forward again, finding it easier to ignore the taste of bile in his mouth and the cotton in his head if he focusses on the horizon. 

There has been a struggle to hold back his breakfast since they’d entered New Jersey.

At least he’s riding shotgun, giving him a little more space to breathe.

Dia and Peter take up the middle row of the SUV, as William, Harley, and Val are sitting in the back row.

Thomas suspects that was the reason William is still sitting in the car; to keep Val at ease. Though he had switched seats with Harley a while back, putting Harley in the middle to entertain the baby as he, too, tries not to vomit.

It definitely doesn’t help that there are seven of them in one car. 

It’s quite the sight; Tony driving the SUV with six kids, but it was bound to happen sooner or later.

Stephen is still who-knows-where, and Tony - clearly needing to get his mind off of Stephen’s absence - had decided not to wait on him to return from his mission to go to the cabin.

Which did mean; no portals. 

He’d convinced them all it would be fun - family bonding and all that - and that it would get everyone’s mind off their worry. Thomas wishes he’d ran off while he’d had the chance. 

He’s stuck for now though, praying for a rest-stop so he can try to convince William to grab Val and meet him at the cabin. 

However, he should probably suck it up like his brother and sit out the rest of the drive without complaint. Tony already has so much on his plate, and he understands why all of the other kids had agreed to this trip so easily. They don’t want the engineer to have to worry about them too.

Besides, they are already halfway there by now.

It’s definitely his least favourite mode of transportation, but he can be a big boy and not make a fuss about it.

He _can_.

“You okay there, Speedy?” Tony asks, turning towards him with a frown. 

“Yeah.” Thomas tries to smile reassuringly, though he’s sure it looks more like a grimace. He’s still hesitant to look away from the windshield, even though he’s finally feeling less clammy. 

Tony hums in acknowledgment, probably caught on to why Thomas is feeling queasy. “We’re already three-quarters of the way there. It won’t be long now.”

Thomas nods, not wanting Tony to feel bad, and goes back to staring at the road ahead of them, trying to let the radio distract him.

Dia and Peter seem to be having fun though. Dia has the tablet she’d gotten for her birthday and is using it to alternate painting and playing games. A bag of sweets they’d bought at the last gas station stands next to her, already half-empty. 

A glance at Peter shows him staring out the window, with that stupid smile that means he’s probably thinking about Cassie, and would strike conversations with Tony every so often to keep him occupied.

He eventually manages to drag Thomas into the conversation as well, as he’s feeling a little better, and the last few hours of the trip end up quite bearable because of it. 

Finally, after what feels like forever, the turn onto the long - barely used - driveway leading into their forest.

The sight of the lake glistening in the evening light immediately soothes the rest of Thomas’ unease once it’s visible. Even William sits up straight to smile out the window at it, finally not looking quite so green anymore.

They park the car in the garage and clamber out of the vehicle for what Thomas sincerely hopes is the last time in his life. They don’t have any bags with them as they all have spare clothes at the cabin by now, so Thomas immediately runs off.

He runs around the lake a few times, sticking to the banks and close to the house in case poachers have put any more traps up since the last time they’d visited.

Stephen insists on doing a sweep of the woods every time they return, before letting any of them out into the forest. 

He is yet to disobey that rule; it’s the _one_ risk Thomas is _not_ willing to make.

Even just doing a few laps around the lake feels wonderful though; the Georgia breeze flitting through the forest makes him feel like he’s finally able to breathe again. His heart rate jumping happily at the long-overdue exercise.

He enjoys every twitch of his muscles, admires every animal and plant he sees, and allows the sight of the cabin to soothe the horrible feeling in his chest.

By the time he’s done, the others are just opening the front door. Thomas joins them with a smile, finally feeling like himself again, and ignores the intimate roll of his eyes he gets from William.

They push through the hallway into the living room, chatting excitedly about what they’re going to do first. Thomas notices that even Tony is smiling by now, more at ease since having arrived at their safe-haven. 

When they enter the living room though, everyone stops in their tracks. 

It’s Val’s little squeal that kickstarts all of them again, and Tony is the first to rip open the door to the back porch. They find Stephen sitting in one of the chairs, a cup of tea on the table next to him.

He looks up at them with a quiet smirk and calmly gets up, Athena not even stirring at his feet. 

“Were you really too impatient to wait for me?” He teases but immediately allows himself to get wrapped up in Tony’s embrace. “Hello, love.”

“Dad was getting restless,” Peter smiles as he’s the next to receive his hug. 

Stephen ignores Valerie’s little cries for her mama as he makes his rounds past the other children first, hugging each in turn. The little girl is getting used to the rule, though she still pouts until she’s finally accepted into Stephen’s arms.

She wraps around him tightly as soon as she’s able, and Thomas can clearly see how Stephen relaxes more as well. 

“I figured you’d all be hungry and I've already had some time to kill, waiting on you, so dinner’s already in the oven,” Stephen tells them, quietly taking his place next to Tony again so the engineer can wrap his arm around Stephen’s waist. Thomas didn’t know whose comfort it was for; probably both.

He’s never been a romantic, but seeing the two of them interact, he can’t help but hope for something like that in the future.

They all immediately file back into the cabin, taking there seats at the table as they wait hungrily on Tony to bring the food out of the kitchen, all scrambling to catch Stephen up on all he’d missed.

And yes, Thomas is a little pissed they wasted an entire day on that horrible car ride while they could have just waited an extra few hours for Stephen to get back, but he can’t deny it wasn’t all bad, and that it is a nice experience to have.

Like when they’d played the name game for about an hour with Dia; or when Tony had sung along loudly to AC/DC, annoying everyone in the car; or the roadside restaurant where they’d had lunch, with the weird plastic apple juice pouches and the good fries.

Dia catches Stephen up on every little detail as she sits in his lap, and Thomas can't help but remember it fondly now.

Though he's positively never doing it again.


	46. Chapter 46

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: "I just karate chopped your neck a little. Please don't tell Mom!"
> 
> By: StrangeMoons_20

Arriving home after school, the first thing Peter, Harley, Thomas, and William notice as they step off the elevator is how unusually quiet the family floor is. With worried glances at one another, Harley asks FRIDAY where their parents and sisters are. 

“Boss will be in meetings for the next few hours, Mama Bear took Diana to Kamar-Taj for magic practice after school, and Nat finally took Val to have an actual tea party like she’s been begging for,” FRIDAY rattled back. 

A mischievous glint replaced the relief on the boys’ faces faster than Thomas can run a mile. The boys sprung into action depositing their backpacks in the living room before bolting to the kitchen to grab as much junk as their hands could hold before cramming back onto the elevator and heading down to the lab. 

The boys had been working with their father to create a program that integrated knowledge of thousands of styles of martial arts into the AI of their suits—allowing their suits to predict enemy moves and suggest counters during combat. It would also allow the suit to defend an incapacitated wearer in the case of emergency. 

“Shouldn’t we wait for Dad before we try it out?” William shyly offered.  
“Nah,” Harley replied nonchalantly, “I’m certain our last update got rid of the bugs.”

Integrating the martial arts knowledge into the AI had been easy, but Tony and the boys had been struggling to make sure the suit didn’t start acting on its own when the program was running. 

“Besides, we can set it to defensive mode only. That way it will only block and parry attacks instead of returning them,” Peter assured his brother as he and Harley activated their suits.

The program worked perfectly for the first few minutes as Harley and Peter took turns advancing on the other. The suit was only deflecting strikes, stopping punches, and dodging, not striking back. Eager to test the limits of the program, Thomas wonders, “How fast can the program respond? Do you think it could stop attacks from my speed?”

“It should be able to,” Peter responded. “Come take a few swings and let’s find out. I’m wearing my suit so even if you get some strikes in, what’s the worse that could happen?”

Famous. Last. Words. 

At first the suit matched the speed of Thomas’ rapid blows, and he steadily built up speed. Moving as fast as he could, Thomas sent a right hook as fast as he could towards Peter’s head. Peter’s pleased grin as his left arm nimbly deflected the blow and stepped in towards Thomas instantly turned to horror as he realized his right hand was shooting up towards Thomas’ neck. Thomas was caught off guard, but still managed to move back enough to avoid the worst of the blow, but it still left him reeling for breath as he hit the floor. 

“OHMYGOD THOMAS! Are you okay?” Peter squawked, the guilt of hurting his brother already filling him up. William and Harley rushed over to make sure Thomas was alright, but he was already shooing them off insisting that he was fine and that it was not Peter’s fault but the program’s, albeit in a somewhat hoarse voice.

Peter’s fear that he had hurt Thomas was quickly swapped out by the fear of what would happen when Dad or Mom found out what happened. The boys knew that they weren’t suppose to be working on this program without their father. Mom would probably ground him for the rest of eternity. 

“Please don’t tell Mom! I only karate chopped you in the throat a little!” Peter begged.  
“Are you kidding? I’d rather be throat chopped by you a hundred times than deal with Mom and Dad if they find out what we were up to,” Thomas assured his brother.

“Thankfully,” Thomas continued, “I don’t think you did enough damage to trigger any of the automatic alerts from FRID—“ The sound of a portal interrupting him as Stephen appeared in the lab with an anxious look on his face.

“Peter, are you alright?”  
“Yeah, I’m fine,” said a confused Peter.  
“Victor notified me of a sharp spike in your heart rate and I—“ He trailed off as he noticed Thomas still sitting on the floor with a bruise starting to form along his neck.

“Damnit,” Peter thought, “Ratted out by my own suit!”

Stephen sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose feeling a headache form. Victor alerted him of a call from Tony which he answered with a quick “Peter’s fine,” before rounding on the boys. “Explain.” He demanded. 

After the boys filled him in, Stephen had to hang up the call with Tony to stop the endless string of expletives from his husband. 

Stephens approach was much quieter and much worse. He let the boys stew in silence while he healed Thomas bruise before turning a stern, tired gaze on the group. 

“I can’t believe you boys would do something so stupid. You could’ve seriously been hurt! I’d expect this kind of think from Harley, but—“  
“Hey!” Harley interjected before quickly adding, “William did try and stop us.”

Stephen held up a small hand to quiet his son.

With another sigh, he pointed to the elevator and sent shivers down the boys spines when he added, “Just go sit in the living room and wait until your father gets home.” 

Stephen portaled back to Kamar-Taj to get Diana, and left the boys to spend the longest forty-five minutes of their lives blankly staring at their open textbooks until their father finally returned home. 

In the end, all four boys were banned from the lab for a week and grounded for good measure. Harley had to hide a small sigh of relief when he realized the punishment would be a much bigger pain for Thomas, Peter, and himself than it would be for William.


	47. Chapter 47

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: “You can’t kiss anyone until you’re sixteen, or they take you to jail.”
> 
> By: ZoxiQ

Valerie had just been walking up to Diana's room to see if he older sister wanted to play when she stopped just outside the door. She heard Harley and Diana having some sort of playful argument so she just waited for it to be over. 

"That's not fair!! You get to do that with William and Peter does it to Cassie all the time!! Even Mommy and Daddy do it!" Diana pouted with her arms crossed. 

"You can't kiss anyone until you're sixteen, or they take you to jail. We all got our kissing cards when we turned sixteen." Harley argued with his younger sister, unaware of the silent audience on the other side of the door. 

Valerie gasped silently as she turned and ran to her room quietly. She didn't know that was a rule! She kissed Stephen and Tony on the cheek before as a thank you for helping her, not to mention her brothers and Uncle Quill, Uncle Scott, Cassie, and her sister. Why hadn't any of them told her before then?! Now she was going to go to jail, but not if she hid. Maybe they wouldn't find her under her tea time table. 

As soon as Valerie entered her room, she ran over to the large plastic table in the corner. The child quickly hid under it, curling up after she fixed the table cloth on it. Now they couldn't take her to jail if they couldn't find her. 

Diana huffed as she walked downstairs to get a snack. Maybe Mom or Dad could resolve this issue better. The oldest daughter walked down the stairs to the living room, seeing Stephen on the couch reading and Tony next to him just watching TV. She walked over and wedged herself between them, the pout still across her lip. 

"Uh oh. What's wrong _piccola_?" Tony asked as he smoothed her hair back as Stephen directed his attention toward Diana. 

"Harley's being a meanie!" Diana protested. 

"Am not!" Came the distant shout as Harley walked downstairs. 

"What are you two arguing about now?" Stephen let out an affectionate sigh as he divided his attention between his two bickering children.

"There's a boy at school who is my friend and he helped me finish a really pretty picture so I kissed him on the cheek!" Diana explained with crossed arms. 

"And I told her you can't kiss anyone until you're sixteen or you'll go to jail." Harley teased his sister once more. 

"But it's in my Italian blood to do the proper thank you!" The younger argued.

Tony just chuckled, finding this most recent disagreement amusing between his eldest and second youngest. "You shouldn't do that at school Dia. Boys have cooties and you don't want those do you?" Tony said as Stephen just raised a brow as chocolate eyes met his for backup. 

The former doctor sighed softly. 

"Cooties aren't real? Right Mommy?" Diana turned her attention to Stephen. 

"I will tell you when you're older but Harley is right." Stephen states not missing the "yes" gesture from Harley out if the corner of his eye." _Partially_. You shouldn't kiss anyone until your sixteen, but no one will take you to jail. You usually just save kisses for someone special."

Understanding crossed the little girl's face as she smiled, hugging Stephen then Tony. She climbed off the couch and reluctantly gave Harley a hug too. "Okay Mommy. I get it. Can we have a snack now?" Diana asked.

"Of course." Stephen got up as he moved to the kitchen and prepared all of the snacks for the kids, setting them at the table. "FRIDAY, call all of the family up to grab a snack." 

"Yes Duchess." The AI responded. 

Soon enough the table was filled by four teenage boys and his second to youngest child but his lips curved into a frown at the empty chair next to himself. Where was Valerie?

"FRIDAY? Where's Val?" Stephen asked. 

A few moments of silence filled the room before the AI spoke again. 

"She seems to be hiding in her room according to my scans." FRIDAY informed the former doctor. 

"Want me to go get her _tesoro_?" Tony asked as he started to get up from his spot at the table. 

"No. You start eating. I'll go get her." Stephen says as he gets up and heads upstairs to Valerie's room.

He knocks before peeking his head in, raising a brow when he in fact didn't see any sign of his daughter. He did let out a relieved breath as he saw Levi draped over the tea time table.

"Levi? Have you seen Valerie?" Stephen asks the cloak, who tries to lift up but Valerie grabs a hold of his corner.

Stephen saw the hesitation in the cloak as he went and sat on the floor by the table. "I hope Valerie is here. I made her favorite snack. " Stephen says, hoping to get some reaction out of the child.

Valerie peeked her head out from under the table, looking around the room before crawling into Stephen's lap. She buried her face into his collar bone and sniffled. 

"No let them take me Mama." Valerie pleaded quietly as she hugged Stephen tightly.

"Let who take you sweetheart?" Stephen kisses her head gently as he pets her head. 

"The kissing police. I no kiss no one ever again." Valerie promises softly which earns an amused chuckle from the sorcerer. So Valerie had overheard Harley and Diana arguing. 

"There is no kissing police Val and even then, we would never let anyone ever take you away." Stephen reassures the child as he picks her up. She instinctively wraps her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. "Now let's go eat our snack okay?" 

"Okay Mama." Valerie smiled. 

She couldn't be mad at Harley, but he wasn't getting any kisses any time soon.


	48. Chapter 48

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: "I couldn't let you leave without telling you that you are important to me."
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

Laughter rang loudly throughout the living room, cut off by yells and curses as Peter once again beat Thomas at Mario Kart. Cassie and Harley sat on the couch, yelling encouragements or distracting the players. William sat back as he watched it all in fond amusement. 

Though the scene warmed him and he could still barely believe that he was experiencing it - that he was part of it - he felt like his battery had been depleted. 

He needed some peace and quiet; time to think about everything that had happened over the last two weeks. 

From living on the streets to having a warm bed to sleep in, a group of people to stand by and support him, and friends who liked spending time with him,… it was quite the change.

William still felt like it could slip through his fingertips at any moment. He wanted to enjoy it while he could, but he didn’t trust himself not to get attached. He always did, and fate had never before been on their side.

Even though he hated to admit it, he usually got attached before they’d even arrive at the new foster home. He’d always been too much of a dreamer, couldn’t stop his heart’s excitement at the possibility that _this next family would be it, would be theirs_. No matter how many times he had been wrong, he couldn’t stop hoping.

He got up out of his seat, quietly as to not alert anyone of his movements as he went in search of a quiet corner. 

He was good at that; finding holes to hide away in. It was the first thing he did when arriving at a new foster home or school.   
The tower was huge, however, and he hadn’t felt the need to, here. He’d found ten promising nooks on his way from the elevator to his room when he’d first arrived, so he figured he could find a place if he needed one.

Besides, it was the first place where they'd had their own rooms.

His first plan was to just head into the kitchen, but when he passed the open door to Tony’s study, he noticed something of interest in the corner.

Glancing around nervously, he took a step inside and was reminded of what Stephen had told him when he’d arrived, about having questions.

“FRIDAY, am I allowed to be in here?”

“Of course,” the voice confirmed from the ceiling. William wasn’t sure he’d ever be used to that. “There are no restricted areas in the tower, except for some parts of the lab and Stark Industry floors.”

“Thank you,” he responded, walking over the chessboard that had caught his attention. 

He’d always been intrigued by chess. It had always seemed like this whimsical thing wealthy people just had standing around; the older, prettier, and less used, the better. 

Though he’d always eyed the chess tables in the park or library with longing, he’d never had an opportunity to learn. 

He took a seat, enjoying how the little nook was quiet despite the yelling still emanating from the living room, and how its spot against the glass allowed him a gorgeous view of the city below. 

“FRIDAY?”

“Yes, William?”

“Can you play chess?”

“I could tell you which pieces to move in my stead, yes.”

“Would you teach me?”

The next hour was spend playing chess against the AI. Once he’d learned each piece’s movements and the aim of the game, it seemed so simple. Still, he never came close to beating FRIDAY. He didn’t mind, though, just enjoyed the game and how it was engaging his mind.

“Bishop to G4.” William leaned over to move FRIDAY’s piece, thinking over the board critically before making his own move.

“You left your queen vulnerable, William. Knight to E3; check.”

“Damn,” William muttered under his breath, before moving his tower to protect his queen. “Any advice on what I should have done instead?”

A soft knock on the doorframe startled William, freezing when he noticed Stephen in the doorway.

“May I interrupt?”

He nodded on autopilot, watching Stephen’s every move as he walked over and took a seat opposite him. “So this is where you’ve been hiding?” 

William couldn't be sure if he was imagining the hint of amusement in his eyes. 

“I’m sorry,” he started, eyes wide, “I asked FRIDAY if I was allowed to be in here and -“

“Of course you are,” Stephen tutted, sending William a reassuring smile. “The other kids just don’t usually come in here. They wouldn’t find anything interesting.”

William didn’t know what to say, so he didn’t bother. He had learned it was best to stay quiet; to just follow the adult’s lead. 

“Would you mind if I cut in, FRIDAY?”

“Of course not, Doctor Strange.”

Stephen eyed the board critically, before moving a piece and glancing back up at William. “So, how have you been settling in?”

William kept his gaze on the board, using it as an excuse to hide the warmth spreading up his neck. He tried to think of what piece to move, but he was too nervous to focus. 

“F-Fine. Vision and Wanda are very kind for sharing their floor with us.” He felt better after the words had left his mouth, able to breathe more easily now he didn’t have to worry about giving a response. He thought for another second before making his move.

“They’re happy to share,” Stephen smiled as he made his own move. 

“They want to take us out for furniture and stuff…,” William blurted out, something that had been on his mind. They’d been trying to postpone it as much as possible, but they were getting more and more persistent. Sitting here in the quiet of their chess game, he, for some reason, felt compelled to bring it up. It felt like a safe space; as if they had nothing better to do than discuss what was bothering him. “Though it’s not like we have any money.”

“Of course you do,” Stephen said matter-of-factly, not even looking up from the board as he studied his next move. “What’s ours is yours.”

“That’s-“

“William, you’re part of our family.” William’s heart stopped when Stephen looked up and met his eyes in a stern gaze. They were a clear blue and fierce, removing any room for debate. “First thing every new kid learns is that we have more than we could ever spend - if some of it goes to making you happy, it’s a worthy cause.”

William didn’t know what to say. He found refuge in the game, looking away from Stephen’s eyes to focus on the board again.

“You haven’t told me how you’re feeling,” Stephen noticed as he was quick to move a piece as if he’d anticipated William’s move. “‘Fine’ isn't the full extent of your feelings, I’m sure. It must be a lot to take in.”

“Not really.” William shrugged, surprising himself by how easily he had said the words. “I mean, we’re used to moving around a lot and living with strangers… it’s just that this place is obviously a lot nicer than we’re used to.”

He made his move, waving off his words. “I don’t want to get accustomed.” 

William looked up in time to catch Stephen frowning at him and cursed internally at having said the wrong thing. He'd been getting too comfortable again. It was hard not to when his intuition didn't pick up any red flags from Stephen - which was rare when it came to adults. He quickly ducked his head, trying to hide his blush. 

“You’re not going anywhere, William.” Stephen’s voice was firm and determined, convincing William to glance back up at him. “You or your brother.”

The yelling from the living room, which had been a hum in the background, grew louder. William pretended to get distracted by it as he couldn't come up with a response.

Stephen sighed as he followed his gaze, glaring in the direction of the living room. There was a loud thudding sound before someone yelled an affronted “MOM!”.

William hesitantly glanced towards Stephen. He wasn’t expecting him to get angry - he had seen enough in his two weeks here that he knew Stephen wasn’t the type. He knew normal parents don’t _usually_ get upset about some noise, but he hadn’t expected him to roll his eyes with so much fondness either. It seemed too out of place.

“It was nice sitting in the quiet with you, William,” Stephen turned back to him with a smile, though he did seem genuinely regretful to leave, “but I’m afraid duty calls.”

William nodded, turning back to look at how they’d left the board. He wanted to finish the game with FRIDAY, and leave Stephen to resolve whatever was going on, before joining the rest again.

“One thing,” Stephen said, causing William to look up at him again with a questioning expression. “I can’t leave without telling you that you are important to me. You and Thomas.”

William swallowed against the lump in his throat, not sure how to react, but Stephen wasn’t yet finished. He took a step closer to him, placing a comforting hand on William’s shoulder. He looked up to meet his eyes, finding Stephen watching him with a soft smile.

“I know that might seem hard to believe after only two weeks, but we get attached quickly.” He grinned, lightly squeezing William’s shoulder before stepping away. “Like it or not; you’re stuck with us.”


	49. Chapter 49

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: "Excuse me?! Care to repeat that?!"
> 
> By: bowsofwrath

“No.”

It was a very quiet, but forceful no.

"Excuse me?! Care to repeat that?!" Stephen could not quite believe what he had just heard. 

Valerie had just said no to bath time. His Valerie, his sweet baby had just told him no… to bath time? He was getting Val ready for bed, the first step of which was bath time. He had gotten her out of her clothes and a bath was waiting in the tub, but his toddler sat on her bed with her arms crossed and a little scowl on her face.

Valerie took a deep breath in and shouted “No!”

Stephen was startled by the volume. That’s the loudest she had ever been outside of crying. Valerie was always so quiet and polite.

Tony burst into the room looking alert. “What happened?”

Stephen looked between his daughter and his husband. “I was about to give Valerie her bath.”

“No, no bath” Valerie said again. This time she decided to get off her bed and try to walk out the door. She was only wearing her underpants at this point since Stephen had been undressing her. He reached out to grab her. She twisted out of his grip. “No.”

“We do not leave our bedrooms without our clothes on Valerie. Now come over here it is bath time” Stephen said. This is what triggered the melt down. Valerie started crying and threw herself to the floor flailing.

Tony tried to intercept the toddlers kicking but he was too late. A small foot lashed out and met with a scarred hand. Tony heard a grunt of pain when he grabbed the tiny feet and held them in one hand and picked Valerie up off of the floor with the other.

“Alright that is enough.” Tony’s stern voice carried through the room. Valerie stopped crying and looked up at him. “Friday, activate the Time Out Protocol.” The Ai informed him that a timer had been set for five minutes.

Tony carried Valerie to the corner and pointed her to face the wall. “It is not okay to kick. You were not nice to Mommy and yelled at him. You are going to stand here until Friday tells you can move. If you leave the corner the timer starts over.”

The timer had to be restarted seven times. There was much screaming and crying. It was an exhausting endeavor that involved a bath and a tearful apology to both parents. Stephen retreated to the living room to cradle his aching hand. Which hurt less than his heart. 

Tony came out after quite a while and sat down next to him on the couch. “Are you okay Duchess?”

Stephen was at a loss for words. He just looked at Tony with sad eyes. His baby had lashed out at him. “What just happened?”

“I keep forgetting you weren’t here for Diana’s terrible twos. Valerie is exploring the boundaries of her world and her influence on it. She’s declaring her independence in her own little way. She’s our little revolutionary.”

“She’s not supposed to be a revolutionary, she’s supposed to be my baby” Stephen sulked. “Valerie is growing up and I don’t think my heart can take it.”

“That tantrum we just saw was nothing compared to what Diana used to throw.” Tony said. “We’ll get through it. We always do, and we have no other choice.”


	50. Chapter 50

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: "MOM!!" 
> 
> By: Musical Boxes

"Mom!" 

Harley dropped to his knees beside Stephen, limp and lifeless among the debris. A stabbing sensation pulsed where his ribs had broken, but Harley ignored it. He had to keep going.

"Mom!!" He quickly put his arms into the proper position and shoved. Why wouldn't he just _breathe_ , damnit?

Tears streaked down the teen's face, blurring his vision as he counted - _28, 29, 30... head back, nose pinched, breath...1, 2, 3..._

Harley tried not to look at the other man's bloody, dirt-streaked face. He had to keep going.

"Come _on_!" Harley sobbed, calling out yet again. "MOM!!"

Stephen had to have heard him, right? He had to, he had to wake up...

_don't be dead you can't be dead don'tleavepleaseyoucan't-_

Harley screamed as he was suddenly jolted from the nightmare, breaking down into sobs. It had been so real...he'd thought...

A trembling hand stroked his cheek and he threw himself into strong arms, burying his face in Stephen's neck.

"Shhh, it's alright, cub," the sorcerer murmurs soothingly, clutching the teen to his chest. He weaves a small enchantment into the air as he rocks Harley, something to help with the nightmares.

"Would you like me to stay with you?" The teen's cheek chafes against Stephen's sleep clothes when he nods, and Stephen smiles softly.

"Alright." He lays the both of them down on the bed again, and they fall asleep like that, curled around each other.


	51. Chapter 51

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drabble prompt: "Dont you dare close your eyes! You're going to be fine...just please stay awake."
> 
> By: DaisyPoison_Pen

He should have been there.   
_He should have been there!_

“Cass!” he screamed, running into the cloud of dust, his senses guiding him instinctively over and around piles of rubble.

The entire east face of the tower was destroyed, and part of the south side was crumbling debris into the avenue below. He’d webbed what he could, but... but...

He vaulted over the debris to the girl laying almost gently on her side, her brown hair splayed everywhere. underneath her was a trembling ball of red-brown fur and a tiny pink hoodie. _Hailey and Flynn._

“HELP!” he screamed desperately into the intercom. “Cass? Cass—please, baby, please—“

“Pe...te...”

“Cass, oh God, y-you’re gonna be okay.” He ripped off his mask, tears spilling from his wide brown eyes. “I have Cassie and Hailey, they’re hurt _please hurry—_ “

“Hailey... Flynn?” 

“Safe,” he nodded immediately. Hailey was shaking and bleeding from a cut on her side, but okay, and Flynn screeched in protest as Peter lifted the critter up to check him before placing him in Hailey’s lap.

A loud metallic groan was heard, and the hair on the back of Peter’s neck stood up. He webbed Hailey and Flynn and yanked them to his chest, diving out of the way of a large metal-and-cement crossbar. When the dust cleared again, tears were pouring down her face and she was gasping wetly. Peter wanted to vomit, but he kept his focus on her eyes, on those pretty eyes that sparked with life when she sassed him or her dads, or warmed with soft love and comfort as she held him after a difficult patrol. “Cassie?” he whimpered. “I-I love you, I’m sorry.”

She whispered his name again, and Peter panicked. “Nononono _nono_! Cass—no no, d-don’t you dare close your eyes! Cass?” he choked. He was frantically trying everything he knew of first aid. “You’re going to be fine, okay? Cassie—stay awake, baby, please just stay awake!”

She didn’t.


	52. Chapter 52

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "Just trust me."
> 
> By: funkylittlebidiot

Lucy was already down for the count, and knowing her, she’d probably sleep through the night, despite already having slept most of the day away. Val was still struggling with sleeping the entire night in her own room, but they’d gotten to a point where she’d at least sleep in her own bed for a few hours before waking up and sneaking into the master bedroom. 

Tony was still in the kitchen, a mug of coffee in his hand as he waited for Stephen to come home. There was a chance he wouldn’t make it tonight, but Tony didn’t feel like going to bed yet anyway. 

There was some noise coming from upstairs, probably Peter and Harley being awake still. It was only a little past midnight, after all. 

Tony huffed in amusement at how having two small children had changed his sleeping patterns over the last few years. It wasn’t long ago that he’d considered midnight as the start of the night instead of the end of the day.

Taking another sip, he pushed away from the counter and headed up the stairs. The murmuring was indeed coming from Harley’s room, but he opened Dia and Val’s room anyway to make sure they were still sleeping peacefully. 

Surprisingly, the room wasn’t dark after all. Val’s bed was the closest to the door, and Tony could clearly see the little girl was still fast asleep. The bed behind it was lit up by the reading lamp on the bedside table. 

“ _Piccola_ , put your book away. It’s time to sleep,” he whispered as he walked around Val’s bed, his oldest daughter’s head snapping up as she noticed him. 

She pouted but obeyed and put her marker in the book before placing it on the bedside table. Tony leaned down so he could tug her blanket closer around her as she laid her head down on the pillow, and he combed her hair out of the way before placing a kiss on her forehead. 

“ _Buona notte_ ,” he muttered, turning off the light as he walked away from her bed, dousing the room in darkness.

Closing the door to the girls’ room, he walked across the hall to stick his head into Harley’s bedroom. 

Once again, he was surprised by what he found - Peter was lying facedown on the floor, Harley’s feet resting on his back as the older kid sat in his desk chair with a book in his hands. 

He backed out of the room, deciding not to ask, and turned to head back down the stairs. 

Walking into the kitchen, he placed his now-empty coffee mug on the counter next to the sink and rubbed a hand over his face. 

He missed Stephen - even though they’d seen each other that morning. The morning rush of wrestling the kids into cooperating and being taken care of before Stephen had to leave could hardly count as ‘quality time’. It had been like that for the last few days, and he could only be glad that Val seemed to have outgrown her separation anxiety - or at least was content to latch onto William when she knew Mommy had to work. 

He perked up when he finally heard the familiar whizzing of a portal opening in the living room, but, of course, right at that moment, a crash sounded from upstairs. 

Lucy would most likely sleep through it, but he could already hear the girls’ door opening.

Groaning, Tony rushed into the living room, quickly making up his mind as he grabbed Stephen’s wrist and pulled him towards the elevator. 

“What-,“ his husband spluttered, eyes clearly drooping in exhaustion and confusion at being dragged away right after coming home. “Tony-“

“Just trust me,” Tony sighed, pulling him into the elevator and pressing the ‘up’ button. He was glad he was still wearing his earpiece, so he could confirm with FRIDAY that the boys were already frantically trying to get the girls back in bed before ‘Mom and Dad notice’ without alerting his husband.

It probably wouldn’t be too bad upstairs, but he just wanted two goddamn minutes alone with Stephen - and now Val was awake, he knew she wouldn’t let go of Stephen any time soon if she noticed him finally home. Stephen would definitely cave and let her spend the night in their bedroom. 

“What about the children?” Stephen mumbled, still taken aback as the elevator slid closed in front of them. 

“They’re taken care of.” Tony shrugged, not wasting any more time in pulling Stephen against him in a long-overdue hug.

Tony smiled in satisfaction as Stephen immediately melted against him, letting out a long sigh of release. His husband’s body around him immediately relieved the tension that had been slowly but steadily building since the last moment they’d gotten for just the two of them. Tony loved their kids to death, but during moments like this, he missed the time when it was just the two of them. He missed spending time with Stephen when it could so often be sparse. There wasn’t much time left in between taking care of the children, Stark Industries, Earth, and the mystical world.

He missed getting take out for two and eating it at the coffee table while some shitty movie played that wasn’t produced by Disney. He missed when they used to cook together and it was fun instead of a chore. He missed the two of them sitting at their empty dinner table in their empty penthouse - Tony doing his paperwork while Stephen did research. 

He missed it, not because he preferred it, but because it allowed them to talk about things other than groceries and kids’ schedules and the best diapers brand. Missed it because it allowed them to focus entirely on each other for an extended period of time.

The elevator stopped, and Tony pulled away to type in the passcodes needed for the doors to slide open onto the roof terrace.

He’d locked it after Peter’s sleepwalking incident, the very thought of any of their kids being up there now still giving him nightmares. Though he hadn’t been there since, himself, and the sight sent an unpleasant chill of memory through him, he had to admit the view was lovely. 

Being up this high, they could just see the hint of stars despite the light pollution tinting the night sky in an orange glow, and the noises of the city were softened by the distance.

There was still a set of deck chairs standing off to the side that hadn’t been used since before the snap, and though they hadn’t used the roof as a terrace since that dreadful night when Peter had felt like skydiving, Tony was glad they were still up here now. They were clean enough as it had rained recently, the grit washing away through the slats, and Tony lay down on one, pulling a confused Stephen down with him. 

“What’s going on?” He asked as he was pulled down and let out a little ‘umf’ when he fell against Tony’s chest. “Not that this isn’t very nice but why are we here.”

The cloak had been so quiet till now that Tony had barely noticed its presence - it must be exhausted too (if mystical objects even get tired. Tony could have sworn he'd caught it snoozing in a closet once.) - but it spread out now, covering the both of them like a blanket. 

“I missed you,” Tony replied, pressing a kiss to Stephen’s crown where it was tucked underneath his chin. 

Stephen chuckled, and Tony had a feeling he was rolling his eyes. “Okay, but we have a warm and comfortable bed downstairs. You could welcome me back there.”

“Meh,” Tony shrugged, “Pretty sure we have bedbugs.”

“Uhu.” Stephen hummed, and Tony could tell that despite his protest, he was perfectly comfortable and close to dozing off.

“Tell me about your day,” Tony demanded quietly, tightening his arms around his husband and pulling him closer in the process.

And Stephen did, until they both dozed off to the sound of each others voices.

**Author's Note:**

> If you would like to contribute to this collection of drabbles, you can join the Mama Bear server: https://discord.gg/ntbbsJK
> 
> There's also other stuff you can get early or exclusive insight to on the server!


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